The Night of the Hunter
by xXx-Voldy's-Gone-Moldy-xXx
Summary: SLENDER MAN FANFIC. This a series of one-shots that follow each other with my own character. Alice takes a walk in the woods to clear her head of a nightmare and meets the centre of her dreams within the trees. What will Slender do with her? R&R. Rated T though it might change. Possible romance... mostly horror though, for my own weird satisifaction. New cover from DeviantArt.
1. Der Ritter

Author's Note: This is a series of one-shots that follow each other about my own character and the Slender Man. I find this entity strangely interesting and I just had to write something about him! Reviews are much appreciated. Enjoy :)

The Night of the Hunter 

Ritter

The forest floor was cold beneath her bare feet, the ash-like snow crunching as she walked, creating the slightest noise in the dead silence, the dead of night. The moon shone through the canopy of bare tree branches, illuminating her face through tiny holes in the forest ceiling. Alice hugged herself tightly, her thin black sweater and black jeans not being enough to shield her from the cold. She had lost her way an hour ago, and so far the whole forest looked the same at every corner and she felt like she had been going in circles, despite the fact that she knew she had been going straight the whole time. Once, she had thought about calling out, but the eerie feeling the forest gave her claimed her voice for its own as it sucked her deeper into its depths. The cold seized her lungs, scratching them with ice-made claws every time she drew a breath. She coughed and the remaining burning, scratched feeling made her curse herself for leaving the cabin. If she made herself fall back into sleep, then she wouldn't have gotten lost in these woods in the first place. She had awoken after a strange nightmare, sweating and blood pounding, swearing it had been real. But everything had been too normal and quiet after for the dream to have been reality. How was it that she had felt a comfort in the idea of taking a walk in the woods when the dream had taken place in a similar area?

And the man. Oh, the man with the tentacle-like arms and the way they writhed and pointed at her from behind his back, beckoning her forward through pure curiosity. Just when his arms, blacker than night, and longer than anything she had seen before, were about to bring her into a strange and dangerous embrace, she would wake from the reoccurring dream that seemed more like a memory to her. Alice shuddered as she glanced around herself, checking her surroundings as if she expected the thing to jump out at her at any second.

But all was quiet – too quiet. There were no sounds apart from the cracking of frozen twigs under her feet or the soft, whisper of wind as snow began to gently fall. She listened carefully for a sign of an animal, like deer or elk. But there was nothing, and she realized that they must be taking cover before a winter storm hit. She hugged herself round her middle, willing her damp sweater to cling tighter to her and embrace her in warmth.

That was when she heard it.

_Crack_.

Somewhere behind her, a twig snapped. And another – _crack_ – It echoed through the forest, sending a chill down her spine. _Don't turn around_, she told herself, _you're just hearing things._

_Crack_.

Another twig snapped in half, followed by the rustling of bare branches. Everything seemed to suddenly grow darker around her, and Alice whimpered as fear took its hold of her, crushing her with a hand so strong she was forced to turn in spite of herself.

Her eyes met a sight that she had seen before, a sight so chilling that a terrified yelp escaped her lips.

The Man stood within the trees, hands clasped in front of him with his vacant face tilted slightly toward the ground. Unlike in her nightmare, he had only two arms, though they were still long, as were his legs. He towered high above her with the trees, fifteen feet to her mere five and three inches. The height of him caused fear to arise within Alice, and she felt as though she wouldn't be able to move when at last she adverted to her gaze and turned to run, the wind now whipping at her face as the quickly falling snow mixed with frightened tears blurred her vision. Her heart beat fast and hard within her chest, threatening to burst. But she ran anyway, pushing herself against her body's cries for her to stop. She ran until she couldn't feel her legs, her cheeks flushed bright pink from the cold; she had to run, to run anywhere to get away from-

"NO!" she screamed as she ran into _him_, the warmth from him stinging her frozen, frost-bitten skin.

"Alice," he hissed, the sound strangely soft though icy at the same time. She felt his long arms wrap around her, gently at first, though strong and bone-crushing in the next second.

"Let me go!" she screamed at the thing – the man with no face.

"You are lost," he said in that strange, velvet-like voice of his. "Let me help you find your way."

"I am not lost!" she yelled, and her voice echoed in her mind, reverberating off the caverns in her brain. Her mind was working much too fast, trying to figure out a way to release herself from his grip. "I know exactly where I am!"

"I have watched you," said the man and the words sent a chill through Alice's body, causing her to shiver. The movement made him grip her tighter and she began to cry with fear again, her sobs coming out as shaky breaths. "I have seen you," he continued, "lose your way within these trees."

"I – I come out here every day!" Alice announced, raising her head slightly and pushing back against him. His grip loosened and she was able to free herself, though she stayed in front of him, looking up into the sunken, shaded parts of his face where she should have seen his eyes. His skin was the purest of white, and though there was no moonlight, it emitted a bizarre, ethereal glow that kept Alice in her place.

"But not at night," he corrected her, stepped towards her again, the movement languid and graceful, as if he knew she would not run.

"I – couldn't … s-sleep," she stuttered and looked down at the ground again, afraid that she would get sucked into him if she continued to stare at his face. She watched his feet instead, staring at the polished black shoes he wore (they matched the black suit he stood clad in), as they began to walk around her, circling her like a predator might its prey.

"And you believe the woods were a safe place to come at night?" he whispered, ducking down to reach her ear. Alice shuddered and involuntarily fell back into his chest, feeling one of his arms wrap around her middle. Only, when she looked down, she saw it wasn't an arm at all, but one of the eerie appendages she had seen in her dream (or had it been a vision of sorts?). It was black and felt silky through her saturated shirt, wet with melted snow. She had expected to see a hand that matched his others, ending in long, elegant fingers, but there was none. It was just a long, black point as sharp as a knife and she wondered if it would cut her.

"Answer me, Alice," he whispered again, and she felt a cool burst of air by her ear. She shivered and shook her head.

"No," she whispered back, being careful not to move. She felt it might be the last thing she did if tried to get away again. She chose her next words carefully. "What – who are you?"

"I am Der Ritter," he said, louder now and taking on a forceful tone. His voice remained soft, however, and Alice felt herself relaxing into him, though she knew deep within herself it was the wrong thing to do. She knew of this name; she knew what it was – who _He_ was.

_ "Don't go into the forest alone, Alice," her grandmother had always said, "for He will get you." _

_ "Who?" was always Alice's reply._

_ "The Tall Man. Or Der … Ritter." _

It was always that name that scared Alice. The sound of it had sent her crying to her grandmother. But she had always wanted to know more, and now perhaps that was exactly what she was getting.

"You know of me," he said. He was whispering again, sending that strange, chilling feeling through her again. It wasn't a question. No, he knew she knew and now he wanted her. He was going to take her like he did with all of his victims and she was _letting him_. His voice was alluring, seductive even, and Alice knew there would be no going back now. As he held her there, against himself, she was dead already.

"Yes," she whispered back to him, and another tentacle wrapped itself around her. "Please," she said, pinching her eyes shut as she waited for him to rip her apart, "don't – don't hurt me…." Her request hung in the air around them, and for a moment time went still as she stood in the monster's arms and awaited her demise patiently, trying to be as good as she could. _Maybe if I just listen to him, he won't kill me … yet_, she thought.

Der Ritter moved suddenly, startling Alice and as he let her go, she stumbled back to regain her balance. His warmth left her and the snow and cold attacked her once again. She trembled from cold, her blonde hair whipping her face like a puppet that the wind controlled. He stood in front of her, watching her as she glanced around herself and then up to him.

"Silly girl," he said so softly Alice strained to be sure that's what he said. "Listen to your grandmother next time," he added and with one long, white finger, beckoned her forward. Her body worked on its own as it moved toward him without her brain's permission. She could run – she could find her way back or hide from him until the morning. Surely he didn't come out during the day…. She had never seen him before this night.

Her feet, bare and stinging from the cold each time she stepped, carried her to him. She stood a mere inch from him now and he wrapped one of his smooth, black limbs around her wrist, holding there in an iron grip.

"Why harm you now?" he whispered, using a hand to brush her hair from her face, "when the chase … is all part of the fun?"

SSSS-SSSS

Review please? :)


	2. Lost

Author's Note: I thank my lovely readers for their reviews. It means a lot to me :) I hope you are all enjoying this story thus far. I have nothing left to really say, so without further ado, chapter two!

Did you read that awesome rhyme up there?

Now read :)

The Night of the Hunter

Two

Lost

"Alice? Alice, honey, wake up!" A knock on her bedroom door alerted Alice that her grandmother was serious now, and that calling her three or four times was getting old. "Are you awake?"

"I am now," grumbled Alice, kicking the covers off of herself. Not that she had slept, of course. The nightmares had kept her awake. This time though, she had stayed in her bed after each one and returned to sleep only to wake up again after thirty minutes. In all, she guessed she had gotten maybe two hours of sleep. Compared to her regular eight, it wasn't enough.

"Good," her grandmother called through her door. "I made you some pancakes," she added and Alice listened to her retreating footsteps before bolting out of bed and to the window. She yanked the drapes open and peered across the backyard of the cabin and into the woods. The early morning sunlight cast its rays through the trees and she looked for any sign of _Him_. Of course, there was nothing. Silly her, thinking she could get a glimpse whenever she wanted to. He was probably watching her from somewhere else. With that thought, an odd feeling ran up her spine, as though someone were standing right behind her. Alice whipped around but her room stood empty apart from her and her furniture. Her closet door was closed and there was nothing out of order. Hesitantly though, she crept toward her closet door and opened the door, twisting the handle ever so slowly as to not make a sound. Then she flung the door open, and instead of Him jumping out to seize her, there was nothing but her shirts and a few sweaters hanging still on their hangers.

"I'm so dumb," she muttered. "The thing in the woods was probably just a dream." Of course, it never hurt her to check around corners as she went down to the kitchen where her grandmother and grandfather sat at the table, both talking animatedly to each other. Alice greeted them with wry smile as she got some pancakes and juice for herself, and after she ate her meal, she opted for some coffee to give herself some energy.

"What are you doing today, Alice?" her grandfather asked her, looking at her over his newspaper. He must have driven into town already this morning.

"I might go for a walk or go and see Rogue," she answered absentmindedly, trying to figure out a way she could get out of the house for the day. If she went to see Rogue, the boy that lived on the other side of the forest, it would certainly get her out long enough until dusk. Crossing the forest took about twenty minutes, and she usually stayed at her friend's long enough until supper time came. Visiting her grandparent's cabin over the summer and Christmas break meant that there were virtually no rules for Alice; she could do whatever she wanted to (as long as she was back by whenever her grandparents said to be).

"It gets dark out around half past six. You be back here by the now, you hear?" her grandfather said, turning the page of his newspaper.

"Yes, sir!" Alice said, saluting to her grandfather like a soldier would before ducking out of the family room and grabbing her coat the front door. Just in case, Alice reached up to the shelf in the front closet and grabbed a flashlight just in case she needed it if it were to get dark before she got back. Of course, going to see Rogue was on her list of things to do, but a walk in the forest seemed a bit more appealing to her at the moment.

SSSS-SSSS

"So you're saying you saw the Slender Man?" Rogue asked as he and Alice sat around their board game. The snow had started falling gain outside and a game of Monopoly seemed like a good way to waste some time together. As he rolled the dice, Alice shrugged.

"I dunno," she muttered, watching him move seven squares, collecting two hundred dollars as he passed _Go_. Rogue looked at her through his long, shaggy black hair. His vibrant blue eyes were outlined in black liner that went with his black, chains and spikes-attire. Alice frowned at him. The look on his face told her he thought she was being silly.

"He's not actually real, you know that right?" A twisting feeling made its way into Alice's stomach. Maybe she was going crazy, and her nightmares were the beginning of her insanity or something.

"I know," she said, looking down at the dice he pushed toward her. "I was just telling you I saw something strange, that's all."

"In a dream though, right?" he asked her. Alice nodded as she made her move, picking up the _Chance_ card. She ended up paying fifty dollars, sighing as she handed in the fake money. She always lost this game.

"Yes, in a dream." Rogue smirked at her.

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

"It was just weird," muttered Alice, nothing bothering to take her next turn. "I'm getting kind of bored of this game. Can we do something else?" Rogue looked at her for a moment, a strange look on his face.

"But we-"

"I know we always play it," said Alice. "I'm just tired and don't feel like counting today." Rogue stayed silent for a moment before nodding and helping her pack things up. They put the game away and then sat in silence for a while. Alice wondered what time it was. Glancing out of the window, it was hard to tell with the cloud cover. She guessed it was about four in the afternoon. She decided she would leave around five o'clock, and by that time it would be just getting dark. If she took her time getting back to her grandparent's cabin, maybe – just maybe – she could find out if what happened the previous night was a dream or reality. Glancing at Rogue who was now turning on his laptop to play some music, Alice knew he must think she was crazy. But she wasn't. She knew she had seen _something_ in the forest and it had been all too real for it to be a dream. She even had bruises on her arms and wrists from _His_ arms. It was a good enough reminder, a good enough indicator that things had been real. The sight of the bruises brought back the fear she had of the man (what had Rogue called him?). But if she was going to call herself crazy, she needed facts first. She needed to see him again, to see if he had changed like he often did in her nightmares. He had always depicted that of the Tall Man she had imagined from her grandmother's stories, and the pictures her mind had created were different in each tale. Sometimes he looked like a tall, skinny medieval knight on a strange kind of horse. Other times, he looked how he had in the woods; tall, slim and masculine, donning a black business suit with a black tie and the smooth, polished shoes that carried him so gracefully through th trees. Most of the time, however, Alice pictured him as he had the previous night, but instead of having no facial features against his pale skin, he had one: a long, toothy grin that dripped with the blood of his victims, a horrible mouth that had swallowed them with their screams of fright and agony. Alice shivered.

"You okay?" Rogue asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," she said, smiling softly. "I'm just a little cold." Rogue unzipped his hoodie and handed it to her.

"Here," he said. "you can keep it on while you walk home, too. Your sweater's not going to cut it as a winter coat…." He grinned at her.

"I forgot mine at mom and dad's," Alice said with a wry laugh, shrugging on the too-long, baggy _Children of Bodom _sweater and zipped it up over her black sweater. She inhaled the scent of Rogue's cologne from the fabric. It smelled like the candles and incense she knew he burned while he would draw, but mixed in with something sweet like chocolate. Though they differed in hair colour, Alice and Rogue wore much of the same clothes. Black shirts and pants with chains and bracelets that clinked together as they walked or moved their arms. Alice was blonde though, a much lighter shade than Rogue's black hair.

"You should probably get going, though," Rogue said, glaring at his window. "The clouds look darker than before."

"I guess so," said Alice standing to give Rogue a quick hug. He held her there for a moment like he did every day, planting a quick kiss on the top of her forehead. Though he wasn't exactly her boyfriend, Alice didn't mind when he did that. In fact, she kind of liked it. No one in her family ever gave her hugs. They were always too busy with other things.

"Don't let the Slender Man get you," Rogue teased as she walked out of his bedroom. Alice laughed and made a playful face at him though he only smirked at her like he always did, his eyes hidden from view by his hair.

"Of course not," said Alice, trying to sound braver than she felt about going into the woods again. But she at least got the name Rogue had used before again.

The forest was colder than before, just as Rogue had predicted. And to add to that, her footsteps that Alice had planned to follow were gone from before now, covered by a thick layer of fresh snow.

"Well great," Alice muttered starting at the tree with the ribbon tied around it. Rogue had left it there from the first day they had met so that she could find the way to his house from their again. The ribbon was red, torn and frayed at the ends from being whipped by wind and assaulted by storms in the summer. A few frozen drops of water now stuck to the knot between the bows. Alice glanced nervously around herself, checking for any sign of strange-looking tree branches that might give the Slender Man away but there was nothing. A low howl of wind rode along the trees suddenly, sending a ripple of shivers down Alice's back.

"It's just the wind," she told herself and started to walk, following the trees by memory, though in a matter of minutes, they began to all look the same. She felt light-headed with hunger and knew she should've asked Rogue for a snack before she left. Why hadn't she? She could have brought a mug of hot chocolate with her. His mother had never minded before. Though she usually asked, that particular day she had been sleeping due to a cold. Alice's stomach growled at her, apparently angry that it was hungry. She hoped her grandparents would have supper ready when she got home.

Snow had started to fall again, and Alice felt hopelessness take over as she realized after forty-five minutes that she been wandering around in aimless circles again. _Just like the other night_, she said. She had forgotten where she had initially been going it seemed as she found herself getting lost in thought, lost in fear of being found by Him again. She whipped around, straining her eyes through the dimming forest light for any sign of the tree with the ribbon. But it was nowhere in sight, and one look at the trees surrounding her told Alice that none of their gnarly branches pointed her in the direction she wanted to go. The sun was setting fast, and the clouds that were moving in hinted that there would be no moon light that night, and Alice would be forced to throw herself into the hands of night. Of course, if she could suddenly become good with directions, that wouldn't happen.

_There might be someone else in here though,_ thought Alice. _A lumberjack or someone else like that…. Someone human_. For a moment, she though against calling out, but the sound of a twig snapping somewhere made her voice act on its own.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice sounding weak and small in her ears. "Hello, is there anyone out here?" She waited for a moment, and in that moment, fear flooded over her again as the sun slipped beneath the ground and darkness pervaded her sight. "I'm lost!" she said, louder now, moving forward just a little. "I – I can't find-" Alice sniffled here, feeling something hot and stinging fill her eyes along with the panic that filled her being "-my way home!"

Somewhere in the distance, a crow squawked, causing Alice to jump. Hot tears fell over her cheeks as she hugged herself in Rogue's hoodie and breathed in his scent, taking momentary comfort in the smell. _Maybe Grandma and Grandpa will come find me_, thought Alice as she turned and at under an Ever Green tree, seeking refuge in the snow-free ground beneath its pines.

Time ticked on. Alice began to calm down.

So far, there had been no sign of the Tall Man. Of course, it wasn't too late yet. But there had been no sign of anyone looking for her either. Her grandparents probably just thought she had stayed for dinner at Rogue's house. Alice sighed. She knew she should try and find her way home, but felt it was better to stay put in a relatively safe place, despite the cold that shook her bones. She didn't want to go any further and risk getting lost even more.

Or getting found by the wrong person.

She knew that if _He_ was looking for her, then she would have been found by now. The fact that she was still safe and not running from Him gave her enough hope that she might be found in one piece. She told herself that the other night must have been a dream after all, and lay her head down on a soft patch of grass and began to drift off to sleep.

Alice didn't dream, in fact she woke frequently through the three hours that she slept, either from cold or sudden noises. Each time, she was disappointed to find herself still on the forest floor and not in her warm bed. She had tried to stay awake once, but combined with low energy from hunger and the cold, sleep always won in the end. It didn't help that she fell asleep with fear each time, as well. But Alice did not dream for the first time in two nights and for that she was grateful.

SSSS-SSSS

_Crack. Crunch, crack. Snap!_

Alice's eyes fluttered open suddenly and groggily she looked around. _Crack!_ Alice's eyes flew open at the sound. _Snap!_ Her eyes snapped to the right in the direction of the sound, searching for the source. A few seconds later, she heard light footsteps making their way toward her, their sound coming closer. Startled, Alice could not move at first. But as the footsteps came quicker now, she scrambled to her feet, heart beating fast in her chest. She stood still, unmoving and holding her breath as she listened. She kept her eyes on the floor, hiding herself behind the tree trunk.

The footsteps were close now – oh, so very close, she thought that whoever they belonged to could surely hear her heart beat. They slowed, as if the person had reached their destination, and stopped suddenly and Alice realized that whoever it was _stood right in front of her_. The polished black shoes were wet from snow, though the neat, pleated black dress pants that hung around them seemed perfectly dry.

"Grandfather?" Alice asked tentatively, though she knew the answer already.

"No," said the man in front of her, and his voice brought back the fear and the sick feeling that Alice recognized all too clearly from the first time.

Author's Note : Review? :)

*Children of Bodom is a heavy metal band, for anyone who didn't know what the sweater Rogue gave to Alice was. :)


	3. Marked

Author's Note: This next chapter is a little dark, but I hope you enjoy it. :)

_Previously: The footsteps were close now – oh, so very close, she thought that whoever they belonged to could surely hear her heart beat. They slowed, as if the person had reached their destination, and stopped suddenly and Alice realized that whoever it was stood right in front of her. The polished black shoes were wet from snow, though the neat, pleated black dress pants that hung around them seemed perfectly dry._

_ "Grandfather?" Alice asked tentatively, though she knew the answer already._

_ "No," said the man in front of her, and his voice brought back the fear and the sick feeling that Alice recognized all too clearly from the first time._

SSSS-SSSS

Three

Marked

Alice's stomach churned as her eyes stared, wide and unblinking, at the dress shoes that were planted into front of her.

"What would your grandfather be doing in the woods this late at night?" he asked in that cold, icy voice of his. She could almost feel the way his head tilted to the side as it had done the first time he had spoken to her. "Surely he thinks you're still with your little friend?" Alice's fear dissolved in an instant, and a strange sort of anger came over her.

"Were you spying on me?" she snapped, though she kept her gaze fixed on his feet.

"No," he whispered, crouching down to be eye-level with her. "Merely observing you," he finished. A chill ran up Alice's spine. He spoke to her as if she were his specimen in a science lab. Observing her? For what? To see what exactly she ate or when she got tired?

The Slender Man reached out one his hands, and it was as pale and white as the moon, glowing even the stark of night. He placed one long finger under Alice's chin and crooked it upward. She shut her eyes before she could see his blank face (for that was what frightened her most about him) and squeezed them tight.

"Don't – don't touch me," she whimpered. His finger was cold, yet his skin was strangely soft instead of rough as she would have expected. It wasn't like the odd black arms that had ensnared her the first time. His touch was gentle, as if he wished to comfort her. But Alice knew that was not how he treated his victims. From her grandmother's stories, she knew of his motives and his deviant ways; she knew he would tear them to pieces, rip his humans to bits or stick them to a tree branch, leaving them to slowly die a most painful death as they waited for him to return, for him to cut them open. According to legend, he never would. Alice decided that if he did want to kill her, she would hope to be cut to pieces. It was faster than fading away on a tree.

"_Alisssss_," he whispered, turning her name into a hiss. "Silly little girl, lost in my woods again. Look at me when I speak to you." He brought his other hand up to her now, knotting it into her hair. He pulled her head back and with a pained cry, Alice's eyes flew open. She stared at him, at his stark white face, her heart thudding in her chest.

"That's better," he whispered and let go of her hair.

Alice recoiled, pushing herself away from his cold stature, immediately realizing the tree she found herself then pressed against provided no safety. If nothing else, it was a perfect trap.

"I find it amusing," he said slowly as he started to once again approach her, "that you would lose yourself in my forest once again. Surely you would have learned the first time not to come in here … alone?" The words hung like an icicle in the frozen air, waiting to be shattered as it hit the ground. Alice watched him warily, watching as he rose to his full fifteen feet. Then, in an instant, her fear turned to careful amazement as the Tall Man transformed. A strange fizzle of static replaced his glowing skin, the black writhing appendages shrinking, fighting with each other as they wound their way into his back. His skin began to clear, though the static grew to cover his attire, the sound of ringing and white noise growing to a deafening roar in Alice's ears. He faded in and out of view, flashing between black and white like a 1950's horror film. Alice shut her eyes, gripping the sides of her head in a feeble attempt to block out the noise.

"Stop it! Stop it, please!" she screamed, shaking her head violently from side to side. Her fear returned to her, growing in the pit of her empty stomach. What was this _thing_? What did he want with her?

Frozen within herself, Alice squinted through half open eyes. The horrific scene had ended and _He_ still stood before her, but at a more human six feet.

"You … you shrank," said Alice. Her voice sounded stupid even in her own ears. There was no response; instead he stooped down toward her.

"Don't-" she started, though lost her voice as she looked at his face.

"Silly child," he muttered softly, extending a hand. When she didn't take, he seized it himself, pulling her toward him as he spoke. "I won't hurt you yet." Alice struggled in his grip as she was lifted above the ground. He seemed to grow the more that he lifted her and his grip on her shoulders tightened to a painful squeeze.

"What do you want from me?" whimpered Alice, looking up to his face (if she could call it that). She felt the heat roll off of him and it made her face grow hot, as if he could make her feel embarrassed that _she_ happened to be _his_ victim.

"A game." His whisper echoed through the silence, seemingly sticking to the snowflakes that floated to the ground. Alice shuddered. He shuddered, too. The trembles that ran through her body seemed to reflect from him, as if he were taunting her with her own fear. But taunting wasn't the Slender Man's game. He liked a chase; it was a game of inflicting fear into his victim with the objective to kill. Alice knew that he relished in her terror, and it was the reason for his incessant need to scare. It fed him like oxygen did a burning fire. The more fear he saw, the better his game got.

Alice sucked in a breath, letting the cold sting her lungs. A sudden bravery washed over her being, flooding through her body. If she didn't show him her fear, perhaps he would tire of her.

"I don't want to play," she spat. The man chuckled, the sound low and menacing.

"But you don't know the rules, dear Alice," he whispered to her. He pulled her closer and Alice felt the silk appendages wrap around her legs as she tried to kick herself free. "You don't have a choice," he whispered, and she knew his mouth would have been at her ear if he had one. The tentacles wrapped their way around her arms, reminded her of snakes as they hissed against her sweater. They replaced his pale hands which took their place at her waist, holding her in an iron grip. He spoke again, in the same ominous whisper that chilled her bones to their core.

"Let me tell you how it works, my dear." Alice shivered in his grip, feeling the vibrations of his voice against her ear as he spoke. How dare this _thing_ call her that? But the fear he inflicted so easily through his voice fascinated her – thrilled her even – in a strange way. She wanted to run, to break free. But she wanted to stay, to find out what he might say next. His voice was terrifyingly captivating.

He seemed to take her silence as an inclination to carry on. And so he did. "You run," he whispered. His tentacles and hands tightened around Alice's small frame at the same time, contradicting his words. "And then I catch you," he added, "at which point … you become mine." Alice glared despite her fear into the sunken socket where his eyes should have been.

"And if I get away from you?"

"Let me correct myself," he said in a threatening voice. "You become mine for _eternity_. Do you know the meaning of that word?"

Alice's glare intensified. Was this monster implying that she was stupid? _I suppose he thinks he knows everything_, she thought, _seeing he's immortal_. Alice knew the Tall Man had been around for thousands of years. Of course, before now, she had always doubted the myth. But nevertheless, it had always been in the back of her mind, taunting her much like how the very thing itself was taunting her now. She had always had a keen sense of anxiety walking through the woods alone as a child, and as she stared at the cause of her childhood stress, her fear flared up inside of her with the reality of it all. Become his for eternity? Alice pondered the meaning behind that. Did that mean she died? Or did he keep his victims somewhere hidden and that's why they never returned?

Or did he rally cut them open and use their corpses for something awful like the legends told?

"But what if I did get away from you somehow?" Alice asked as she thought over what he meant. "There are always other victims…." She couldn't believe herself. She was almost bartering with an entity for her life. She should have been back in her grandparents' cabin, sound asleep and safe in her bed. What time was it? Were her grandparents waiting for her? Or did they think she was still at Rogue's house?

"No one gets away, my dear Alice." The Slender Man brushed a piece of her hair back. Alice jerked her head away. He only chuckled, as if it she was his evening's entertainment. Alice sucked in a breath. He wanted to play a twisted, sick kind of hide-and-go-seek. Only now, Alice knew there would be no hiding. What could she do when she knew she couldn't hide? He would only find her. And though he hadn't hurt her yet, she knew it would come. _Will you kill me_? She asked in her mind, wondering if he could read it. His threatening chuckle assured her that he could, but he didn't answer her. Instead_, _he shifted so he towered over her, holding her a few feet away from his face. Alice wondered if he might put her down.

"Silly girl," he said softly, reading her mind. Frightened tears made their way down Alice's cheek, shattering the brave shell she had erected around herself. They were hot and assaulted her frozen cheers as they rolled down them, leaving a sting in their place. He bent over her, surrounding her in black and a tangled sea of tentacles. They whipped and writhed, blocking the forest from her view. He was the only thing she could see as he held her suspended high above ground, seemingly taunting her with the threat of falling. His hands on her were cold, but the air around her felt hot, smothering her in an invisible fire. Alice felt like she might asphyxiate. Her throat tightened and her lungs begged for fresh air. All she could was him; his pale skin stinging her own with cold and perplexing her with the heat it left in its trail. Her tremors intensified as he pushed back her hair. Black appendages pulled her limbs out in all directions, wrapping tight around her wrists and ankles, straining her muscles, pulling them taut.

Alice cringed as she felt his hand that supported her back leave its place. She waited for the crashing fall to the ground, sure that the tentacles could not hold her up. But she was proven wrong, and they felt stronger than she had expected. They did not quiver; they simply held in her place. Alice knew there was something coming. The way he tilted his head down at her, tracing his index finger along her jawline, told her he was contemplating doing something to her. Her fear pulsed through her, sending her breaths out in tiny, short puffs of air. It was visible in the cold night.

"Do not squirm," he ordered and the sound of his voice, low and alarming froze Alice. She tried to steady her breathing, but as he ran his hands down her arms and Rogue's sweater started to disintegrate (much to Alice's terror), her chest rose and fell in deep, jagged breaths. She felt the sweater fall off of her and saw it fall to the ground like ashes, blending in with the snow covered ground. The frozen air bit at her skin through her thin black sweater. She felt him gently pull at the collar of her top, and the sound of tearing fabric told her he had ripped it apart to the swell of her breasts. The cold that met then made her shiver. A low growl crawled up his throat.

"I told you not to move," he purred in her ear, gripping her shoulder as he stopped her shivers. She nodded and let him push her head back. His touch was strangely gentle, and she almost felt comforted for a moment as he tucked a strand of wavy hair behind her ear. But when she glanced at the face of the monster in front of her, fear crawled along her body once again.

As he worked with her top, pulling it apart to expose her chest, Alice did not say a word. There was no point in screaming for help – no point in risking someone else's life (or their sanity for that matter, because hers was already gone). Deep within herself, Alice knew she would not be returning to her bed that night. Though she didn't think she was dead yet, she knew this was how she would go missing. The Slender Man was about to take her – make her his. He hadn't played by his rules this time. He hadn't let her run. Alice wondered if it was because she hadn't tried hard enough to get away. He was about to make her his, and she knew that the forest would claim her as he would. The trees behind him replicated his branching tentacles, swinging in every direction with the cold, forceful wind. It howled mournfully through the holes in the tree tops. Alice listened to it carefully, tuning out the slithering of his appendages against her body or the ripping of her shirt. She made it into a slow, melancholy tune that reverberated through her, disguising her quivers as a mournful beat of music. Of course, it was just in her mind. She resisted the urge to hum to herself. It distracted her enough from him, though she knew he was there, though she could _see_ him, she couldn't hear anything but her song.

But that was when she felt it.

The searing pain broke out across her chest, ripping and burning her skin. She cried out, the sounds of the wind being replaced by the sound of his voice by her ear again, muttering something in a language she thought was German.

"_Du bist mein_," he said, repeating it over again in her ear. His voice was low, sultry and took on an edge.

Alice moaned in pain, the hot fire curving in the shape of a circle on her chest. She felt something hot trickle down her skin. Blood? Was that his hand or a tentacle cutting her skin? No, _carving _her skin. He was _carving_ something into her body. She shook her head violently, trying to kick her legs in an effort to break free.

"_Du bist mein_," he whispered again and Alice froze again as he lifted a solid, black tentacle (as she had suspected) from her chest. She felt the blood drip onto her skin. What was this disgusting being doing to her?

Horrified, Alice watched as he replaced his limb on her body once more. Only this time, he dragged it from the corner of the circle in a diagonal line. The pain came again, only this time, she braced herself for it. He made a second line from the opposite side. Alice felt the blood red X being carved into her skin, felt the tears rush off her cheeks.

She knew what had been engraved into her skin: an X within a circle.

Alice knew this to be his sign, his symbol. His Mark. And now he had made it on her skin. The last of the pain left her, leaving behind a buzz. Alice looked up into his blank face, her own eyes reflecting the vacancy there. A glassy look came over them, and everything faded into a black that was darker than the night.

SSSS-SSSS

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this…. It was kind of a creepy chapter, but it was kind of fun to write…. Thanks for reading! Review? :)

*_Du bist mein_ translates from German. It means, "you are mine."


	4. Conflictions

Author's Note: This following chapter does not reveal much about my plotline, except perhaps some of Slender Man's opinions on Alice but even then, it's very subtle. I know it doesn't go much of anywhere, but I needed to write a bit of a boring chapter to get anywhere in chapter five :p You know how books sometimes have those moments? Yeah…. Anyway, please read … I was also suffering from writer's block BUT I wanted to get this up for you :) I've already started work on chapter five, so expect that … sometime this week. Please review and enjoy. :)

Also, I give a shout out to those who have reviewed. I appreciate it very much, and I'm glad you enjoy my story. It keeps me inspired. :)

Chapter Four

Conflictions

It was not the sun that awoke Alice; it was the chirping of birds. Their song was the most beautiful sound she had heard since the middle of the night. She had slept soundly once again. Though she couldn't figure out the reason as to why her dreams had not been haunted by nightmares, she was thankful for the dreamless sleep.

Alice kept her eyes closed. The sun in front of them shone red through her eyelids. She patted the ground beneath her, surprised when she found no snow, but instead there was a soft bed of what felt like moss. Her eyes flew open. She was still in the forest. The memory and horror of the previous night came back to her as did the realization that she was still not safe. Above her, a canopy of bare branches created the illusion of a cracked ceiling; the winter sun greeted her, filtering in through the branches, around her were other trees: ever greens and bushes that were still warmed by their pine needles. She lay in a bunch of soft grass, though it was yellow-green in colour, among bits of soft, squishy moss. It cushioned her head and gave warmth to her skin. Her eyes followed along the curved, downward slope of ground ahead of her. It became apparent that she was in a round pit of ground and the beauty and tranquility of this part of the forest kept her nerves calm. Was she indeed safe now? Or had she fallen asleep here and dreamed the horrific encounter of last night? Her hand flew to her chest. Her heart sunk horrible low in her stomach when she felt her exposed skin and the torn fabric of her sweater that surrounded it. She felt for the scar that would left there. A crusty, rough cut met her fingers. Swallowing hard, Alice traced the circle of dried blood. She followed the lines that crossed in the middle, forming and X, and winced slightly at the tender feeling of the wound.

Alice moved to sit up. Her limbs and muscles screamed for her to stop moving and let them rest. Her shoulders ached and her thighs felt as though she had not moved for an eternity.

_Eternity_.

The word provoked an uneasy feeling within her. She could almost hear _Him_ whisper it in her ear, as if he lay beside her. Her head whipped to each side, and she felt relieved to still be alone. There was no sign of Him there.

Had he left her there or had Alice just fallen asleep here after, exhausted from pain and fear? She tried to remember what exactly happened, but there was only one thing that came to mind and that was Him. She knew that he had been the one to cut her chest, but why and how had he done it? More importantly, why couldn't she remember?

"Hello?" croaked Alice, her throat dry and burning. Her mouth felt dry as well when she swallowed. The reply never came. There were no long, black tendrils that tried to ensnare her as prey. Alice decided she would try again, to be sure.

"Are you there?" she said, though this time it came out as barely a whisper, as if she was afraid he would actually answer in that weird voice he spoke in. It sounded like velvet, mixed with the threat that He himself posed to anyone he dared enter His forest.

There was no response, just the whisper of wind that soared through the trees, causing them to shiver above her. It was like they too feared _His_ presence.

Alice forced herself to stand up and ignore the burning strain in her leg muscles and the dizziness that took over her senses. Her stomach lurched, a wave of nausea suddenly washing over her. She stumbled, throwing her arms out to catch a nearby tree, holding onto to it before she fell. It kept her up, though she doubled over, retching and coughing in the next second. The coughs ripped their way up her throat, leaving her already scratched vocal chords burning. The metallic taste of salt and rust spread over her tongue.

Blood?

Why did she taste blood? Panic flared through Alice. She touched a finger to her tongue. Sure enough there was a thin drop of blood on her finger tip. Grimacing, she swallowed the disgusting liquid down, wincing as it burned her throat. She gave her head a shake, trying to come up with a logical explanation as to why her throat was suddenly coated in blood. It was already dry, right? Maybe her coughs had scratched her throat too much. It was a much more comforting though opposed to the question that sat in the back of her mind.

What he done to her?

"Just get yourself out," she told herself. If he wasn't around in the daylight, then maybe she could get back to her grandparents. _Didn't think this through very well, did you Slender Man_? She thought.

Feeling that she could walk again, Alice hesitated by the small opening through the trees. The snow beyond them paved a glistening path of white. The sun hurt her eyes, causing her to shield them with her hands. She peered into the forest. A small rabbit hopped its way through some trees and it made Alice feel out of place in her troubled state. It looked so normal, and she looked so crazed, so unnatural; she looked out of place.

The carving on her chest began to sting as the cooler air touched it. She raised a hand to touch the rough patch of dried blood. She shuddered. _Just get yourself out_, Alice though, motivating herself again to start moving.

She walked out into the forest, grimacing when her footsteps met the snow with a loud _crunch_! It echoed through the eerily quiet forest. Anxiety flooded through her, dulling any of her other sense, but her hearing was left acute. She stood frozen in mid-stride, straining her ears for any sign of Him. The sound had seemed too loud in her ears. She glanced around her surroundings, which appeared vacant and cold. Her breath puffed out around her in small billows of smoke. She stepped forward again, ignoring the crunching of snow under feet this time and focused on finding her way out of the forest. The air around her was frigid, freezing the silence into place. The trees were unmoving, as if they were too nervous to move, afraid of any noise they would make, too.

As she looked around herself, Alice found that she stood in a clearing. Trees stood gnarled around her, their branches stretching down to grab her. They reminded her too much of the danger that lurked within their depths, keeping her rooted to the spot. She looked into their shadows, searching for any sign of Him. Alice felt trapped; no matter which way she went, the trees would envelope her into their darkness - His darkness.

She listened to the silence, the sound growing deafeningly loud in her ears. A strange feeling came over her now, like someone or _something_ was watching her. Instinctively, Alice wanted to run. But in her weak state, she didn't trust her legs to carry her.

So she walked instead.

She followed her surroundings at first, searching the trees for the start of a trail. When she finally found one, she hoped it would lead her home or even to Rogue's house. Maybe she just hoped it would lead her to anywhere except another dead end in this forest, for she knew He would be in the trees. _He's probably watching me right now_, thought Alice. Quickly, she glanced behind her. The trail was still clear, except for the snow and broken tree branches that blocked the pathway.

A sudden noise made Alice's eyes snap ahead of her again. A single deer bounded onto the trail from within the trees. It stared at Alice for a moment, curiously watching her. It shook its head, freeing its horns of snow. The sight of something normal and natural almost made her smile because she felt that she was back on Earth for the first time in what felt like forever.

The deer, however, did not stay long enough to make Alice believe she was safe. A rustling of branches behind it made it glance in the direction it had come from before running off at full speed. It disappeared into the trees like something had spooked it.

Alice did not have time to react once the nausea and unease made its way into her once more. The silence returned, along with the urge to cough. Though she tried to resist it, she gagged and fell to her knees, the scratching in her throat unceasing. She resisted the coughs that threatened to escape, careful not to make a sound. Her hands raked the ground, the tips of her fingers growing numb from snow. She breathed hard through her nose, the cold air helping her churning stomach settle somehow. The same rusty taste alerted her that she was bleeding again, and she gave into the hacking coughs. The blood dripped down her chin in warm, thick trails and seeped into the snow, staining the purity of white with the crimson shade of her blood. She spit it out and wiped her chin, shuddering at the blood she smeared across her hand. She took a few deep breaths, deciding finally after a moment that she would be okay to stand up. Only, when she raised her head, her fear hit her hard in the stomach and she reeled, coughing once more.

_He_ stood one foot away from her shaking form. His shiny black dress shoes glistened with melted snow in front of her. When he spoke, he sounded neither mad nor annoyed with her; he sounded almost disappointed.

"Trying to leave already, my dear Alice?" Alice gasped for breath as she tried to come up with a quick lie. _No, I'm searching for berries_, she thought sarcastically, forgetting he could read her mind. _What does it look like I'm doing_? He chuckled at her as if her current state was amusing to him.

"You're a different one," he said softly. He knelt down in front of her, resting a hand on one of his knees. He used his other hand to crook her head to him. In the daylight, Alice was shocked to see that the Tall Man in fact did have features, or what she could only call features. There was the slight outline where his nose should have protruded from his face and a thin almost invisible line where she supposed his mouth would have been. There were two shaded sockets where his eyes would have been.

"They always bleed," he whispered, almost sounding sad. Alice noticed that his mouth did not move when he spoke. "Can you speak, child?" he asked. Alice nodded but quickly amended her mistake croaking out a small, "Yes". He stayed silent for a moment, just staring at her with his blank face.

"Now tell me what you were doing, my pet," he whispered. Alice shivered.

"I –I was looking for you," Alice rasped, shaking as he pulled her closer to him. She knew he would see right through her lie.

"I do not appreciate dishonesty, Alice," he reprimanded. He tilted his head to the side and grabbed her chin again between two long, elegant fingers. He then began to wipe the blood from her face using the sleeve of his other arm. Alice watched in quiet astonishment as the blood, _her_ blood, disappeared on contact with the strange fabric. It was soft, like cotton, but smooth like the finest of silks. Why was he being so kind to her? Alice did not know everything about the Slender Man, but he didn't strike her as the kind of creature to be kind in anyway. In fact, he seemed too malevolent to be kind.

"I was afraid when I awoke alone. I – I didn't know where I was. S-so I tried finding my way home…. I'm s-sorry," whispered Alice, pulling her chin from his grasp. He nodded to her once.

"Do not forget you are mine, Alice. I do not let what is mine out of my sight," he said. "I am always watching." Alice stared at him for a moment, and then looked down. His hands clutched her small waist, their warmth spreading through her sweater to heat her skin. "You do not need to be afraid. I will not hurt you, Alice. Not unless you give me reason to." Alice nodded quickly, though her fear was spiking regardless of his words.

Alice did not find it surprising that he was "always watching". More than once she had gotten the feeling that someone had been eyeing her. The shivers would creep up her spine and into her head, telling her that He was around. She knew that she should have been terrified at that moment, and though she did feel on edge while in his presence, his current calm demeanor comforted her (though against her better judgement). He was not hurting her physically; in fact, the only time he had hurt her was when he branded her. Alice wondered if it was just part of his nature, if he did that to every victim. If she were to stay in the forest with him, perhaps Alice would get over her initial fear of this entity. At least, until she had to endure her violent demise, that is. His very existence perplexed her still, and it made her wonder if he was the only one of his kind. From the stories her grandmother had told her, Alice had assumed he was the only one to roam the Earth. Her grandmother had never once given Alice any reason to believe there was more than one of him. Not to mention the way Rogue had spoken about him, referring to him as the Slender _Man_, not _men_. The noun was not plural.

The thought of her grandmother and Rogue stirred something sad within Alice. Were they wondering where she was? Was her grandmother flitting about the house, distressed, while her caustic tones filtered through the phone to the police on the other end as she described what Alice looked like? She could picture her grandfather searching everywhere for a recent picture of her, while at the same time trying to comfort her grandmother. Of course, there was no point in worrying about how Alice's mother and father were reacting to her sudden disappearance. They were probably sitting happily under the sun by the pool at their holiday home in Arizona, not a worry in their minds. It was too easy for them to ship her off to her grandparents while they went away whenever the weather turned nasty. Had her grandmother called them? _What's the point_, though Alice, _when they probably didn't even pick up the phone_?

One look at the blank face that stared her made Alice blurt out, "My grandparents are probably worried sick about me." He tilted his head at her, as if in confusion. "I didn't come home last night," Alice continued, trying to shut herself up before He got angry with her. But she could not stop the string of words that tumbled from her mouth as she got to her feet. "They probably called the cops and everything!" She looked behind her at the dense forest, as if searching for a rescue team, almost wishing they would jump out and save her. The Slender Man stood silently still, his hands clasped in front of him as he stared, his head still tilted, at Alice. He seemed to regard her with an air of patience, though Alice knew it would run slim. She quietened, hugging herself around the middle. All she wanted was to go home, and get away from this strange being.

"Alice," he said quietly, now stepping toward her.

"Please," she said, louder this time, almost in a yell. "Please just let me go back to them!" A ringing suddenly started in her ears, though it quickly faded away, leaving her with a head ache. She shut her eyes and felt him place his hands on her shoulders.

"You are different to me," he said in his strange, smooth whisper. "You do not show me defiance. You have stayed in my midst. For this, you may return to your home." Alice's eyes flew open, a hopeful gleam shining within them. Was he sparing her? Was he letting her go and never going to return to her?

"Th-thank you," she whispered. He nodded to her.

"You may return for now," he continued. "But I will be back for you." He ran a hand down her arm, barely touching her. It made the hairs on her arms and neck stand on ends and she shivered as her heart plummeted. She cast her eyes to the ground, knowing it had been too good to be true. Her fate was bleak, and it sat in the hands of Him.

"Yes," she said, nodding, knowing there was no point in arguing or trying to make a deal with Him.

"Now," he whispered, making her shiver once more, "you will sleep and awake in your grandparent's home." With that, he surprised Alice, by shedding the outer black coat of his suit and fitting it around Alice's shoulders. He arranged the soft fabric carefully, covering the cut that marred her chest and any other exposed, frost-bitten skin. Alice watched him curiously, and though his kind acts seemed strange to her, she was grateful for the warmth that surrounded her. He stepped back, allowing her to move around and get comfortable in _His_ coat. Had he ever done this for his victims before?

"Humans are vulnerable to cold, are you not?" he said in response to her unspoken question and the confused look on her face. Alice nodded slowly, supposing that his ethereal heat was his natural defence against the cold. He stood before her, clad in sharp black dress pants and a crisp, white dress shirt that ended in neat, folded cuffs around his hands. A black tie hung perfectly straight down the middle of his chest. It seemed too ordinary to cover such a strange thing. It was obvious that the coat was his; it was much too long to fit someone of an average height. It reached down past Alice's knees and the arms were much longer than her own. She searched it for buttons and fastened the first three, securing it around her shoulders.

"Thank you," she whispered as he stepped to grab her by the arms again.

"Sleep now," he whispered, touching his hand to her forehead. Instantly, the world around her turned black, and his blank face was the last thing to fill her sights.

SSSS-SSSS

Author's Note: I know this chapter didn't go anywhere too specific, but I needed to get her back to her house somehow for my plot to work out :p I hope you enjoyed this; critiques are welcome, as are ideas and your thoughts on what might happen! In other words, please review! It helps me keep me inspired to write more for you guys! Thank you! :)


	5. Needed Insight

Author's Note: This chapter is a little bit shorter than usual. However, I'll be uploading something again tonight as well…. That's a surprise though. It's a bit of foreshadowing for you. So that will be called "Excerpt" though I might change it yet. That will be up tonight, as well. Read, enjoy, and please review :)

I dedicate this chapter to Jay. I hope you and Tim find Jessica and make it out alive.

SSSS-SSSS

Chapter Five

Needed Insight

Alice shot up in bed. She had dreamt of the forest and Him again. _It was just a dream_, she told her herself. There was nothing real about nightmares.

One glance around her dimly lit room told her it was not yet late at night, and the mouth-watering aroma of food that wafted through the air hinted that dinner was still being made. Alice looked to the clock on her bedside table. The glowing green numbers read _4:58 PM_. Had she really slept the day away? More importantly, why had her grandparents allowed her to do so? Perhaps she had been awake all night because of her nightmares? It seemed much more believable that she would have been able to sleep _that_ late under those circumstances.

Alice kicked the warm blanket off and stepped out of bed. Turning around to straighten her bed sheets, she was shocked to find her bed already made. Her black and purple comforter was pulled under her pillows, slightly ruffled from being laid on. Further down, in a rumpled heap, sat a jet black mound of fabric.

"What?" Alice muttered to herself. She snatched it up and let it unfold as she held it above her bed. Her eyes traveled down its length, and her heart skipped a beat while her stomach did a funny kind of flip at what she saw. She held a black, almost silky suit jacket. It was long and looked like it was made for someone of a skinny build - someone like _Him_.

"No," gasped Alice, her eyes widening in horror, "it was a dream!" Horrified, Alice threw the jacket back on her bed. Staring at it, she though back to what she thought had been a dream. _He_ had given her his suit jacket to keep warm.

That had been real? The cut on her chest, waking up in the woods, and seeing him more than once had been real? Alice's heart fell. Yes, it had been real. The proof was on her and the bed. She felt disoriented, as if she had been asleep for more than a day, but she knew it had only been a few hours. He had put her to sleep; how he had done it, Alice couldn't remember.

She picked up the jacket again, holding it gingerly in her hand. She wondered if He expected her to find him and return it. It seemed unlikely though – He was always the one to find her.

Curious, Alice brought the coat to face and breathed in the strange scent. It smelled like the spice of pine trees with a hint of smoke, as though he spent too much time around fire. It wasn't a bad smell, but there was something else too, and it made Alice feel dizzy. Still, she breathed more of it in, like she couldn't get enough of it.

"Oh, that must be that young man's jacket!" The sound of her grandmother's cheery voice startled Alice. She whipped around, causing the room to spin. "He brought you home this morning," she added. Alice stared at her grandmother for a moment, taking in her appearance. Standing in the doorway and wiping her hands on a dishcloth, she looked like she had been baking as there was flour all over her light pink apron. Her silver hair sat on her head in her usual neat curls, and her eyes were lit up in a crinkly smile. She was obviously pleased that Alice was safe.

"Young man?" repeated Alice, her voice sounding distant.

"Yes!" her grandmother exclaimed. She came to sit on Alice's bed in front of her. She placed her dishcloth on the bedside table and smiled at Alice. "He said he found you asleep in the woods early this morning while he was on a walk." Alice frowned.

"Grandma, I wasn't-"

"No need for excuses, Alice. Your grandpa and I are just glad you're all right. We were worried when you didn't come home." Alice nodded.

"I would imagine so," she whispered, looking down at the jacket in her hands. There was a slight pause between the two, before her grandmother suddenly spoke again.

"He was very tall," she commented. Alice glanced up at her. "Very handsome, though, I must say. Dark hair, and very blue eyes. He looked like a business man! He was wearing a suit and everything. It was quite nice of him to wrap you in that coat, Alice."

Alice stared at her grandmother. Was she blind? If _He_ had brought her here himself, then why did her grandmother describe such a normal person to her?

"Yes," said Alice distractedly.

"Where did you go last night?"

"I…." Alice started, and then stopped. How could she explain what happened to her grandmother without coming across as insane?

_"Lie_," something whispered by her ear. Alice jumped and looked to her right, only to see that there was nothing there. This seemed to go unnoticed by her grandmother as she sighed and started to fix up Alice's pillows.

"_Listen to me, Alice_," the voice whispered again. It was Him. She didn't need to recognize the smooth tone to know it was Him. Was he in her room? Or perhaps he didn't need to be near her to communicate with her?

"I felt sick on my way home from Rogue's house," Alice said, speaking quickly. "I decided to sit down somewhere and I suppose I fell asleep." Her words did not sound natural to herself, but her grandmother nodded; she seemed to buy it.

"_Good girl_," whispered the voice. It left a ringing in Alice's ear, and the dizziness returned to her again. Quickly, she sat down beside her grandmother, still clutching the coat in her hands.

"Are you feeling better now?" asked her grandmother.

"Yes," said Alice, staring blankly at the ground.

"Good," said her grandmother, reaching over to place a kiss on Alice's cheek. "Dinner should be ready when your grandpa gets back from town. We ran out of milk, I'm afraid. I had to ask him to get some." Alice forced a smile.

"Alright," she said quietly as her grandmother got up and left her room. Alice sighed and looked around, placing the Slender Man's jacket beside her. She hated lying to people, especially someone as caring as her grandmother. However, Alice knew it was necessary if she wanted to protect both her and her grandparents.

Dinner that night was relatively quiet. Though Alice's grandparents were not angry with her, they seemed like they didn't know what to say. She remained quiet as she ate her spaghetti. Her grandmother was sure to give her extra, and Alice was glad. She ate two and half full plates before she went to take a hot, relaxing bubble bath. The aroma of lavender filled the small bathroom and warmth from the water welcomed Alice. She felt safe for the first time in two days, and she managed to fall asleep briefly. She awoke and her water was lukewarm. She washed quickly, and got out. The most difficult part of her evening was having to face the mark on her chest. The angry red symbol stood out against her pale skin. It was not very big, perhaps the same size as her palm. Sighing, Alice pulled a baggy black T-shirt on over a pair of fuzzy green pajama shorts and tried to forget about things for a while.

Alice returned to her bedroom at half past ten that night. Having grown bored of the old Batman reruns for the first time in her life, she decided that a computer game wouldn't hurt to take her mind off of things. Once in her room, Alice curled up against the pillows on her soft bed. The thing she loved most about being at her grandparents' house was her bed. It was softer and somehow warmer than the one at her house.

Her shiny black laptop sat on her lap, the Windows 7 logo appearing as she turned it on. Once it had loaded, the picture of her favourite band, _And Also the Trees_, met her eyes. The melancholy mood that hung around the picture was normal to Alice and it provoked initial sadness within her. She skimmed through the desktop icons until she found the game she wanted, but a flashing orange light at the bottom of her screen caught her eye. Outlined in orange was the big blue lowercase E. The Internet icon flashed quickly at her, demanding attention. Rolling her eyes, Alice clicked it.

"What do you want?" she whispered in annoyance.

_Your last browsing session was closed unexpectedly_, read the small message box. _Do you want to restore it_?

Frowning, Alice thought back to the last time she had used the Internet. She supposed her laptop must have crashed and clicked the "No" button. The message box and blank Internet page disappeared. Alice stared blankly at the screen, momentarily forgetting what she had wanted to do in the first place. Then, an idea hit her. Frantically, Alice reopened the Internet. It came up with her homepage, a news site dedicated to rock and heavy metal bands. The headline _Ronnie Radke and His New, Drug-free Life_ was plastered across the top of the screen in black, bold letters. Below it was a picture of the vocalist with his band-mates standing behind him on stage at a concert, the hands of hundreds of fans reaching up toward them from the floor. As tempting as it was to click and read the article, Alice resisted it and turned her attention to the search bar at the top of and typed in _Google_. The search engine appeared with "Google" in rainbow print above it. The curser blinked expectantly at her in the search bar. Hesitating, Alice's hands danced over the keyboard as she thought of exactly what she wanted to search. Then, she typed:

_The Slender Man_.

Instantly, various results appeared on the page. She scanned the page quickly, reading the headlines. There were many different ones: _Missing Photographer Mary Thomas – Case of the Slender Man?_ Others were different blog pages dedicated to Him. One page in particular, however, interested her the most. Directly at the top and above the Mary Thomas headlines, was one that plainly read _The Slender Wiki_.

"He seems to be more popular than I thought," Alice muttered. She clicked on the blue link and was transported to an eerie-looking website. The background was a picture of a forest that, halfway down the page, faded into a solid midnight blue. The title _The Slender Wiki_ sat atop an article in smudged, white letters. Alice scrolled down the page. It looked like there was a lot to read. She checked the battery on her laptop. She hadn't used it much over Christmas break as she had neglected to bring her charger with her. The battery was still almost full, however. She figured it would last her for the next three days that she was at her grandparents' house.

Nervous as to what she would find, Alice scrolled back to the top of the page, and settled in to read.

SSSS-SSSS

Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter was so short, but I try to update every Sunday, and I didn't have lot of time to write a really long chapter this week. I have something else, as I stated before, so I will upload that later tonight. :) It's going to be in Slender's point of view … so stay tuned. :P It is not going to be chapter six, though, just a bit of foreshadowing. Thanks for reading! Please review :)


	6. Foresight

Author's Note: I promised you another update today, and here it is! This is an insight of what is to come, though I didn't reveal much. I did change the name from "Excerpt" and this is NOT chapter six. That will come sometime this week. Please read, enjoy, and review! :)

SSSS-SSSS

Foresight

He stood motionless across the street, partially hidden from view by a dark, dense fog hanging in the air. He stared at the cabin. Behind him, a small strip of stores had long closed for the winter. The only place with open stores was the small town of Jasper, which sat quietly away from the forest. The cabin backed onto the woods. Inside, he could see the old woman and her husband sitting down to dinner, and the girl – _oh_, that girl! – joined them, her back facing Him. He tilted his head and watched her – His Alice. She did not seem loquacious as she sat there; her head stayed bowed as she ate quickly.

The girl certainly had an appetite.

Behind him, a tree rustled. He turned slowly to see the boy in the mask walk cautiously toward Him. The Tall Man had summoned the boy here for a talk.

"It's cold out tonight," the boy commented as he stood beside Him.

"Do you complain?" asked the Slender Man.

"No," said the boy quickly, though his voice remained calm. "I merely wanted to comment on the lovely winter weather."

"Indeed."

"May I ask what we are doing here?" asked the boy. He reached up to ruffle his shaggy black hair.

"We are observing."

"Observing? Observing what?"

"I believe the question here is a matter of who," the Slender Man corrected dryly, gesturing to the girl in the window.

"Well then, who?" The boy follow the Slender Man's eyeless gaze until his own eyes fell upon Alice. "Her?"

"Yes."

"Why?" asked the boy, sounding intrigued. He peered through his white mask, through the blackened eye holes.

"She ventured into my midst," the Tall Man stated simply. The boy nodded, though _He_ could tell the boy did not fully understand.

"Are you going to kill her as well? Like you do with all those who, as you put it, _venture into your midst_?" The Slender Man chuckled.

"You know me well," He said softly. "Perhaps. She, however, is … different?"

"Different? How so, sir?"

"Do not call me that," snapped the Slender Man, his voice dangerously calm. "It is too human." The boy hung his head apologetically. The Slender Man continued to explain, though he did so briefly, "She is brave." The boy nodded and waited for Him to say more, but the silence stretched on. He looked up at the Tall Man.

"You are not wearing your jacket?" The boy's comment sounded like a question. The Slender Man looked down at him, feeling slightly annoyed. He did not enjoy pointless conversations, especially when he had his Alice to keep an eye on.

"I am aware," he said, holding out a thin, long arm. His white dress shirt glowed like his skin in the moonlight.

The silence came over the two again. The boy seemed calm and comfortable in the Slender Man's presence, as though he had become immune to His frightening appearance, and desensitized to any rational fear he should have shown and felt. However, his expressionless, stark white mask gave way to no emotion that the boy felt at that moment. His gaze remained fixed, focused even, behind the hollow black eyeholes. Once again, he ruffled his hair, leaving it spikey and elfish; it stood out at all directions.

"What do you suppose we should do with her?" the boy asked.

"_You_ will wait until I tell you what to do," said the Slender Man. "If it involves you at all," he added. The boy nodded obediently.

"Is she very pretty?" he asked. The Slender Man turned to look at him.

"I am not one to judge someone on _prettiness_." He turned again to the window, watching as Alice picked at her third serving. She seemed upset. Why so? He had not treated her badly – he had allowed her to return to her grandparents. He watched as she continued to eat, slower now, as if her food had lost its flavor.

"What is her name?" The boy glanced at the window as Alice continued to sit while her grandparents moved about.

"You will find out soon enough. In time," said the Slender Man. He continued, "Short time. Now, leave me."

"Good night," said the boy, clearly knowing well not to dither and ask any more questions. He had been given the information he was allowed to know for now. He turned and walked quietly the way he had come, leaving the Slender Man to continue watching his dear, sweet, _pretty_ Alice.

SSSS-SSSS

Author's Note: There's a bit of foreshadowing for you! :p I hope you enjoyed this :) Thanks for reading, and please review! :)


	7. A Thief in the Night

**Author's Note:** I apologize for my absence! I have not forgotten this story, as I have chapter seven almost finished. I had a family emergency.

NOW. Onto chapter six, and I hope you enjoy it. It's a bit random, but it's REALLY important that this stuff happened.

**Please read and review, lovelies :)**

SSSS-SSS

Chapter Six

A Thief in the Night

The website Alice had found certainly contained tons of information, ranging from what the Slender Man did to his victims (things she already knew, but some new information was quite disturbing to her), and the effects he had on humans when he was near. More than once, the facts had bothered her enough to make her want to stop reading, but her curiousity got the better of her. _Curiosity killed the cat_, thought Alice with a shiver. She clicked on another link – she still had more to read. Glancing at the time at the bottom of the screen, she noticed that almost two hours had passed since she had atarted her research; the clock said it was twenty minutes past twelve in the morning. She blinked tiredly as she read another paragraph. This one explained how the Slender Man got around. The term given to His means of transportation had been called "Slender Walking." Only, it had nothing to do with walking at all. She read:

_Slenderwalking is the ability of the slender man to appear and disappear at will, apparently to teleport from one point to another, instantly and often without any physical indication of the teleportation. While it's not clearly defined as to what the parameters and limitations of the teleportation are, it is often considered to be the basis for time travel as well. Most agree that Slenderman's ability to teleport derives from some sort of ability to occupy space time at any point._

_So that's how he moves around so fast_, she thought. A shiver crawled up Alice's spine, causing her to shudder. She glanced around her darkened room, looking for any shadows that might be Him. When there was nothing, she relaxed a little and scrolled down the page and continued to read, becoming strangely more intrigued rather than afraid. She read things at explained little details (such as the Tulpa Effect, which was similar to that of manifestation from thought-forms) and how the Slender Man had changed over time. His many names reflected previous appearances from many centuries ago (Alice was startled to find that he had in fact existed that far back in time). Some referred to him as _The Knight _or _The White King_. Alice wondered if, like the names suggested, people had once thought of him as a God of sorts and worshiped him. She read on.

_The ability of the Slenderman to disguise itself is one of its more important traits. The most well known camouflage is that of the contemporary suit-wearing Slenderman. The most supported theory is that the Slenderman takes the appearance of a member of higher class or notable social position (a knight, a warrior, a suited man), in order to gain trust or acceptance from a person, or at the very least to blend in at a distance. A variation of this theory is that the Slenderman's appearance varies from person to person slightly, appearing how the individual's mind comprehends it._

_ The alternative theory deals with the tulpa effect, which describes the appearance of the Slenderman not as camouflage, but rather as the interpretation of the viewer. Similar to the above, the thoughts or the individual or groups of individuals determines the appearance of the Slenderman, often in a high-status outfit, based on their comprehension or their pre-held conceptions. This differs from the previous theory in that it is neither a choice or a physical/natural adaptation of the Slenderman, but a mental creation based on the viewer._

Alice considered this new information. If she had seen the Slender Man from a distance, then yes, she supposed it would make sense that he appeared as trust-worthy. The suit he wore definitely gave him the look of a business man or someone of high intelligence. She bit her lip and she thought of the many victims (children, mainly) that had fallen into his trap. What a terrible fate they must have suffered….

The more Alice read, the more on edge she felt, though she couldn't stop. She was full of nerves and excitement at this strange research she was conducting. It made her feel like she had a purpose – like she had to figure this out to save others and possibly herself. She constantly felt the mark on her chest from Him and felt the excitement grow within her – was he near? Would he pay her a visit that night? She reached over and grabbed his suit jacket and breathed in his earthy scent as she threaded her arms through the sleeves of the jacket. It was still warm, and it sent a strange buzz through her being and she pushed the long sleeves up (they reached well past her hands). Alice read on through the night, and though her eyes grew tired, her body was alert. She felt frightened, though safe at the same time in his jacket. She learned that there were people _helping_ the Slender Man, and these people were called _Proxies_, the term given to anyone that was under the influence of him. He could influence humans in many different ways, and the one that made Alice the most nervous was _mind control_. Based on what she read, the Slender Man could easily break into one's thoughts, speak to them, and control them. Alice froze as she read this, her finger pausing above her laptop's mouse pad. He had spoken to her though her mind earlier that day! Did that mean he was listening to her thoughts at that very second? Did he know she was researching him? A chill ran up Alice's spine as she looked above her laptop's screen, peering into the shadows of her dark room, the look of shock illuminated on her face from the glow of the monitor. She jumped when her eyes found a tall, elongated shadow in the corner by her window. The light from the faded streetlamps outside melted in through the spaces between her blinds. Her heart skipped, and the sting of fear coursed through her veins, paralyzing her momentarily. Slowly, she was able to move again, though she did so very carefully and tried to not to make a sound. As she stood, she prepared herself to see him when she snapped on the light and-

There was nothing. When she whirled around, she saw, instead, her wardrobe, standing still in the corner and very un-Slender-like. Alice mentally chastised herself for being stupid and returned to her bed, trying to convince herself that she was braver than she really was; her heart pounded in her ears and she felt jumpy. She sunk back down onto her bed, the black void of jacket enveloping her small frame. She reopened her laptop and waited patiently for the black screen to turn into the webpage again. That, however, never came. Frowning, Alice wiggled her finger on the mouse pad. The screen flickered white for a moment before turning black again. A sudden rush of panic came over Alice as she remembered something she had read about the Slender Man being able to manipulate technology. She tapped the mouse pad, and felt relief as the web page decided to show itself this time. Though she calmed down, the feeling of shock still lingered within her.

She continued reading, though her laptop seemed to be lagging somewhat. It took longer to scroll down the pages – things kept getting stuck. Alice ignored it and passed it off as her laptop getting tired from being on so long. The low hum of its fan let her know it needed to cool off.

Time ticked on, Alice's eyes beginning to droop ever so slightly as sleep tried to claim her. But she forced herself to focus on the words even though they blurred in and out of focus.

Suddenly, without warning, her bedroom light shut off. Her eyes snapped open, and her senses became more aware of her surroundings. In front of her, the deep blue website flickered to a white page. Alice looked at the message displayed there.

_Error 404 –this website cannot be displayed at this time. _

"What the hell?" muttered Alice, snapping her laptop shut. She looked around the room, frozen on her bed.

"Hello?" she whispered.

_Sleep, _a voice whispered. Alice's body tensed. She knew that voice – it was _His_ voice.

"Where are you?" Alice whispered back.

_I am where you are._ Alice squeaked in fear and shook her head.

"Stop it," she said, a little louder than a whisper. She heard a knock at her winder. _Tap, tap, tap_.

_Sleep now, Alisss._

Before she knew it, the little light from the moon faded into blackness, and Alice was asleep.

SSSS-SSSS

Alice felt Him grab something – her blanket? – and the warmth that engulfed her immediately disappeared. The coldness of her room replaced it and her skin turned to goose flesh. Alice felt something cool cover her mouth and she gasped, struggling beneath Him. She could feel him moving, and as his hand left her mouth, she opened her eyes. She could see _Him_, looming above her, as he shrugged on his suit jacket. Alice's lips parted into an "O" shape as she realized what he was doing. She blinked, and she saw that it was already buttoned up.

"Oh," she whispered stupidly as he stretched out his long, slim arms, showing her his jacket had been the reason he had come to her. Then, he rasied a long, elegant finger to place where his lips should have been. Alice nodded quickly and took the gesture as a "be quiet" warning. What was he going to do?

The Slender Man rose to his full, spindly height and stared down at Alice with his blank face. She watched his fluent movements: he looked at the lamp on her bedside table, leaving Alice to watch in awe as it turned on for him. He glided through her room gently, his pale skin glowing in the dim light. Alice tried to shake the thought that she had; he did indeed seem handsome. The Slender Man picked up a few things, observing them before putting them down. He moved to a row of shelves on her wall where a few books sat, collecting dust. He trailed his finger alone their spines until he chose one. The book was a large, thick tome with a black cover. The gold embossed title on the spine read, "Magyk". He turned his head to Alice, cocking it to one side.

"'Magyk'?" he inquired, his voice slipping through the room like silk. Alice nodded and he spoke again. "What does a mere mortal like yourself have a book about magic for?"

Feeling a little insulted, Alice shrugged, hoping that he would replace the book and move onto something else, like her curtains or something. Why didn't he pull something really creepy, like smelling her clothes and memorize her scent? Alice shuddered at the thought. But what interested him so much about her books? Surely there was a motive behind that.

"You may speak to me, Alice." He appeared suddenly beside her, sitting on the side of her bed. He held the book in his elegant hands, gently tracing the design on the from cover with his index finger. Alice watched, almost hypnotized by the movement and a strange feeling came over her. She felt dazed, like she was floating in midair, as light as a feather. Was he doing this on purpose? She watched, transfixed, as his tracing switched directions now; he traced a circle and an X – _His_ symbol – onto her book. The golden design seemed to blur in front of Alice's eyes and blend with his tracing, as though he was painting his symbol onto her book.

"Alice?" he whispered in his oddly gentle yet demand voice. She looked at him, her eyes wide and slightly glazed.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"Answer me," he purred.

"Oh," breathed Alice, blinking as she looked up at him. The gently glow of light shone on his pale face. Alice could again make out the barely-visible indents of features on his otherwise vacant face. The scar-like line where she should have seen a mouth looked like it was turned upward in a smirk.

"'Oh'?" he repeated, crossing his long legs. The light gleamed off of his polished black dress shoes. They ended in a squared toe, that was bent slightly upwards. "'Oh' does not seem like a very good reason for you to have such a book as this, my dear Alice." The hiss he added to the possessive way he uttered her name send a strangely thrilling chill through Alice's body. Why she reacted this way perplexed her; it should have sent her running into her granparents' room. She should have been screaming, "There's a strange man in my room!" at the top of her lungs. Her grandfather should have been bursting into her room with his hunting gun in his hand that very second. But Alice didn't yell; she knew nothing would come of it, and she didn't think her grandfather's hunting gun could take out the fifteen feet-tall Slender Man.

"I find the subject interesting," said Alice. It was the truth. She had never even read the whole book (maybe about three chapters) and she definitely didn't practice magic.

"Do you dare lie to me?" He placed the book on her bedside table and motioned for her to sit up. Alice obeyed and answered his question again.

"No," she said. "That is the truth."

"I have not come here to harm you, Alice," said the Slender Man. "Do not give me reason to."

"Of course not," said Alice, sounding braver than she felt.

A silence fell between them. He continued to stare at Alice. She begun to feel unnerved and looked at her hands in her lap.

"Then why are you here?" she asked. There was obviously his suit jacket, which he had retrieved, so why then had he stayed? There was a part of Alice that wished he could leave already and let her sleep, but her other half told her she would not be sleeping much again that night and wanted him to stay because she thought he was kind of interesting. She glanced at her bedside clock; _5:47 AM_ it read.

"It is the morning," he replied simply. The morning? _It's the middle of the night_, thought Alice.

"But it is still dark," Alice said, trying to keep the whine out of her voice.

"Are you complaining that I woke you, Alice?" he whispered and – oh! Was that a threat in his voice?

"No," amended Alice quickly, shaking her head. "But I had just fallen asleep." He tilted his chin up, appraising her.

"You fell asleep around midnight, my sweet." His whisper was like velvet as it slipped over her smoothly as a snake could move across ice.

"How do you-?" Alice's question got lost as he crooked her chin up towards him with a single, soft finger.

"How do I know?" he finished for her. "I am always watching, Alice. Even when you do not see me, I am there." Alice flinched at his words. She tried to shake her head from his grasp, but she did not win. He held her firmly in place as he continued to speak. "You are never free of me, Alice. Do you forget that you are mine? I do not let what is mine out of my sight." Alice nodded. She that there was no way out; He was her fate, and He determined what exactly her fate was. There was no point in trying not to give in – not anymore.

"I read about you tonight," Alice whispered suddenly. He chuckled at her.

"Yes," he drawled, "And what did you find?"

Alice thought back to the website she had read. There had been so much information; where did she begin?

"A lot of the things," she whispered as he freed her chin, "I already knew – from stories I heard many times when I was smaller. I read that you don't walk – that your legs are too long." Here he nodded, and when he didn't say anything, Alice spoke again.

"The authors of – of the site…. They called it 'Slender Walking'. You called yourself Der Ritter that night in the woods…. Did you know you had other names?"

"I am aware. Humour me, however," he said. "What do the other humans call me?"

Alice paused, thought, and then spoke slowly, afraid that the names might insult him.

"There's a few," she said,deciding to get the worst out of the way. "Some call you _The Pale One_, because your skin is very light." Alice stopped and waited for his reaction, but he continued to look at her, seemingly unimpressed and unamused. Swallowing, she carried on.

"Some refer to you as just simply _Him_," she said, "while others call you _The White King_." At this, he chuckled. Alice allowed herself a wry smile at his otherwise pleased reaction. He seemed to like things that made him seem dominant. "There's also _Slendy_, which is a silly nickname for your most popular reference as … the _Slender Man_."

"The _Slender Man_," he mused. "Yes, how fitting, though Alice… you forgot my most favourite," he whispering, using a delicate finger to gently pusher onto her back. Alice gasped as he leaned over her, his large hands placed on either side of her small figure.

"Which one is that?" whispered Alice. When he spoke, his voice was right at her eat, low and fierce.

"The Operator."

SSSS-SSSS

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed! I will get back to my weekly Sunday or Monday updates, so stay tuned. I will hopefully have chapter seven up this Sunday, but if not, I will have it up sometime this coming Wednesday :)

**Please read and review and thanks for reading! :) You guys mean a lot! I'm really excited to be continuing this story so thanks. I will update soon. :)**

**P.S. All information on the Slender Man in italics was taken From_ www. theslenderman . wikia wiki/The_Slender_Man_Wiki_ - The Slender Man Wiki :)**


	8. A Stranger

**Author's Note:**Again, I am terribly sorry for the lengthy wait for me to get this chapter up. As I said, I had family problems, and I haven't been in the best moods to write. This next chapter is quite short, and if I finish Chapter Eight tonight or tomorrow, I will definitely post it before the weekend. If not, then expect it on Sunday! :)

**Follow me on Twitter: fo_shizzlish . I will update as to where I am in writing and such and you can keep up to date with me and when I will be posting new chapters! :).**

Also, a shout out to my reviewers, and in particular, **Alyssa**! (And **Crackerjam**!) Thank you for your comments, they are much appreciated and I was pleased to read how much you enjoyed it. I like my version of Slender, as well! Again, thanks! :)

Alright, chapter seven!

SSSS-SSSS

Chapter Seven

A Stranger

"_Honest to God, I will break you apart – tear you to pieces, or rip you apart." ~ _The Night of the Hunter, Thirty Seconds to Mars

The next three days passed uneventfully, and Alice eventually was forced to leave her grandparents. Her parents had returned from Arizona and the three had made it home safely (though Alice was reluctant to do so). The only thing that bothered Alice besides having to be with her parents was that she had not been able to visit Rogue before she left. She decided she chat with him over her laptop sometime between school starting again and her parents yelling at her.

_He_ had not paid Alice another visit, either. The last time she had spoken with the Slender Man was the night he had come for his suit jacket. Though she didn't understand why, this upset Alice. Perhaps it was because he was the first person (if she could call him a person) since Rogue to show any real keen interest in her. Maybe it was because he was so different from anything she had ever seen before; she had gotten over her initial fear of him now, though the anxious feeling she got when he was around still strangled her. She supposed it was because he was really unpredictable, and he had no expressions to give his motives away; however she had gotten used to his demeanor. Now, she just found him _interesting_. Maybe she liked that he had bothered to take an interest in her in the first place.

Her parents had said maybe two words to her on the way home. The remaining drive was a quiet one, and Alice unpacked as soon as she got home. They lived in an old, Victorian-style house with two floors. The attic was made up of small turrets and windows. The exterior was made of deep red brick; Alice's mother's vines grew along the front of the house, crawling and snaking their way up to the top turrets. Their leaves had long been lost for the winter, and the house looked sleepy and sad.

Inside, there were many rooms. On the bottom floor, there were walls painted white, accented in a deep, rose-red. Alice's father was a doctor; therefore his study was full of medical research books and important papers Alice wasn't allowed to read. But that was okay – Alice didn't care that the study was off limits to her. She was used to her parents expecting her to ruin everything she touched, and so she kept to her room where her bed sat tucked against the wall with a thick black quilt to keep it warm. Her books lined the wall, most of them containing the same thing as the book the Slender Man had examined. Though Alice didn't practice it, Witch Craft peaked her interest and it was the usual topic she read about. Sure, she had tried some candle rituals with Rogue in the summer, but she preferred to just read about it.

As she unpacked, Alice thought back to three nights ago and the visit she had received from the Slender Man. There had been a reason for him searching her room. What puzzled her was his sudden absence. From the night she had first encountered him, he had not left her alone. But his sudden disappearance made her wonder where he had gone to. Or had she dreamed the whole thing up? The scar that marred the pale skin of her chest told her no, as it still stung as though the wound was still fresh. Alice winced and touched it with her finger though her T-shirt.

"Where are you?" she whispered, wondering if he would reply like he had before. She walked toward her bedroom window. The town of Jasper was thick with trees, and their dark depths beckoned to Alice from beyond her backyard. She stared at an opening in the trees, willing Him to appear.

"Talk to me," she pleaded in a whisper. "Where did you go?" The strange, mind-invading reply never came. His soft, yet demanding voice did not sound in her ears. Alice frowned, wondering if she did not like the town. But that made no sense. The information she had acquired about Him had implied that he could go anywhere that he wanted – that he could _communicate_ and _see_ from wherever he pleased. She knew it was dangerous, but Alice could not shake the sudden want to see him. His strangeness captivated her in a way that was almost queer and cruel. Though it threatened her, his voice was calming.

"_You are a different one_," he had said in the forest. What had he even meant by that? Tilting her head to one side, Alic watched the dark woods.

"Show yourself," she whispered again, placing a palm flat against her window.

"Who the hell are you taking to?"

Alice spun around to see her father standing in the doorway. He stared at her with cold, angry eyes, as though Alice had committed a terrible, heinous crime.

"What?" she asked, startled.

"I said," he replied, annoyance dripping from his tone like acid, "who are you talking to?"

Alice looked at the floor. "I wasn't talking to anyone," she said. It wasn't a complete lie. She had spoken and her words had been directed at someone, though that someone hadn't replied.

"Yes, I bloody-well heard you!" snapped Alice's father.

"Are you sure mom wasn't on the phone?" Alice said carefully. Her father's glare intensified, making Alice feel sorry for any medical patients he looked at like that.

"Are you back-talking me?" he sneered, coming further into her room, one menacing finger raised.

"No…." said Alice, staying firmly in place. She stared at the floor, inwardly wishing her father would just go back downstairs.

"What, you got someone hiding in your closet?" he asked threatening, whirling around to point accusingly at it. Alice stared at him, taken aback. She realised the shocked expression on her face must have made her look guilty because her father suddenly looked more livid, though she wondered how that was possible.

"Look, you little girly freak," he snarled, "I don't know what or who you're hiding, but if I open that closet door and some other Goth-punk freak like you is there … so help me, I'll smack your head so hard, you won't-" Just then, the lights in the house flickered, the fizzled sound of electricity replacing Alice's father's voice. He glared at the lights as they went out, plunging them into darkness.

"David!" Alice's mother called from the kitchen below, "I think a fuse blew. Come fix it!" The hand raised to Alice's flinching face fell away.

"Good timing, you little witch," he snapped, blaming Alice as he glowered at the books lining her wall, as if they and her were to blame. With one angry shake of his finger, he turned and stalked out of her room and down the stairs. There was muttering and a clamour in the kitchen, letting Alice know she could breathe a sigh of relief. The lights had not come back on yet, and she could hear her parents arguing downstairs. Slowly, as though she was afraid to be heard downstairs, Alice walked toward her window again and looked outside.

She froze.

Illuminated by the dying sun, there was a boy standing in the entrance to the forest. At first, Alice may have thought it was the small boy from next door. But with a double take, she learned it wasn't. Unlike the boy next door, this one was taller and much older-looking. The late winter sun glinted off of his eyes, and Alice saw he wore glasses, though his dark hair covered his forehead and something – a scarf? – covered the lower part of his face. He stood with his feet apart, staring directly at her. Slowly, the boy – young man – raised his right arm. His index finger pointed at Alice, then motioned her toward him.

Alice stumbled back, catching herself on the foot of her bed. Did he want her to out there? Why – what for?

"Who is that?" she whispered, wondering if she'd get a reply, while she also wondered if she was going crazy. No voice pervaded her thoughts, and for a few moments, she sat on the end of her bed. The house was quiet; the only sound hitting Alice's ears was the low howl of the moaning winter wind. Vaguely, Alice knew her father had gone to his night shift at the hospital. This meant that her mother had gone shopping with friends as she did when Alice's father worked nights. Alice got up, and after check to see that the boy was still there, she slowly nodded at him and he nodded back once. Turning to the quiet house, Alice regarded it with remorse at her parents. They always left her alone with not a word of goodbye. _Whatever_, thought Alice, _it looks like I have somewhere to go, too._

SSSS-SSSS

**Author's Note:**Ooh, who will that boy be? Rogue? The boy in the mask? Someone for the Slender Man?

Again, I'm sorry for the time it took me to get this chapter up. Also, I had to establish the terrible relationship Alice has with her parents, so if the little incident with her father seemed a bit random, I'm sorry, but it's really important to my plot. Review? They help me write for you guys ;).

Thanks for reading! :).


	9. Weir

**Author's Note:** I know I said I would but update this sooner, but I had to go into work this Sunday and with the second semester of grade eleven starting, I've been very busy!

However, thank you VERY much for your continued support and all your lovely reviews. They make me smile! Alright, so since I've kept you waiting long enough, I will stop drabbling on and let you read chapter eight!

Where is Slender?

Right behind you :p

SSSS-SSSS

Chapter Eight

Weir

"_It was hard by the dim lake of Auber,_

_In the misty mid region of Weir - _

_It was down by the dank tarn of Auber,_

_In the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir."_

_~ Edgar Allan Poe, "Ulalume"._

SSSS-SSSS

Alice checked every room before heading out into the cold. She grabbed one of her mother's fancy fur coats to fling over her hoodie and began walking to the woods. Little flakes of snow had begun to fall, and the wind was chilly. Surrounding trees whispered in the wind, swaying their branches as if to wave her away, making Alice feeling self-conscious. She brought the fur parka further around her, buttoning up the front. It ws quite long, the bottom hem reaching just below the knees, but it kept her warm. Inside herself, though, Alice hoped her mother wouldn't come home to find it gone. Alice didn't think she'd hear the end of that.

The trek from her backyard, across the field, and to the forest did not take long at all. Alice reached in easily within ten minutes, but the cold still managed to make her cheeks and nose sting. Peering up at the tall, towering trees, Alice frowned. It was impossible to tell (this close up) where the young man had stood. Was she at the correct spot or had she just imagined him? She glanced back at her house. The windows looked back at her, judging her from the inside. The only window that hinted at anything welcoming was the one from her bedroom. It almost seemed to beckon toward her. It lined up perfect from where she stood, too, just like it had with the boy; she knew she was in the right spot, but there was no sign of him.

"You told me to come here," she announced to the forest. "So where are you?" There was nothing but silence to answer her.

"Look," said Alice, growing impatient from the cold, "if you're going to tell me to come outside and then run away, I'm just going to go back to my house." She wondered how stupid of an idea this was – to a follow a complete stranger into the woods at night. But then she had to laugh to herself, remembering she had encountered someone much more threatening in the woods before. Someone who could do much more damage than what appeared to a be (maybe) a nineteen year old boy. The irony of it all, however, had her thinking that this boy had something to do with _Him_. Another beat of silence, though, and she began to think otherwise, wondering if the boy had just been a trick of the light. Alice rolled her eyes, and took a step back, deciding that it was best just to go back home. As her foot hit the snow again with a hard, frozen _crunch_, she heard a voice.

"Talking to yourself?" Startled, Alice whirled around, almost losing her balance. There stood the young man, his appearance giving him away at once. Up close, Alice recognized him and could see him more clearly now. He wore black, horn-rimmed glasses, and a straight, determined expression. His eyes judged her, looking her up from foot to head.

"I wasn't talking to myself," Alice mumbled, thinking that she must have seemed crazy. She also knew that her appearance must seem weird too; dark blue eyes rimmed in black makeup with pale cheeks and crazy, wavy hair that rested on the shoulders of a thick, fox coat; underneath, she wore a plain black hoodie (the hood of which was bunched up around her shoulders) and her tight black jeans were accentuated with her favourite silver chain and thick, black laced and buckled knee-high boots. At the very least, she must have come off as some freak-lunatic. Alice was aware of what people thought of her at school. More than once Katie Angiles had commented on her way of dressing – it was different than most others and Alice only indentified well with Rogue. But that didn't change the fact that Alice really felt like she turning into more than just a freak (even her parents called her one). With the crazy things that were happening to her lately, a part of her sanity was slowly leaving her.

But she had to give it to herself, though, because this boy looked pretty weird in his face scarf. He stared at Alice from behind his glasses with a glower that unnerved her. She wondered if she had something wrong, or if he normally looked like that. She shifted her feet, beginning to feel uncomfortable and more aware of her wild looks. She shot a glanced behind her to her house; the windows were dark, and staring at her, too, like empty black eyes devoid of any kind of emotion. They refused to show her any compassion over the fact that the cold bit down to her bones, the fur from her mother's coat no longer protecting her against the wind. The cold air whipped her hair about, abusing her face with its long, wavy tendrils.

"What are you here for?" she asked him.

"To warn you," the boy replied. The scarf that covered his face blocked his lips, a large white X plastered where she should have seen his mouth. She frowned, wondering what if meant (though she had a pretty good idea, and it confirmed her thoughts that he had something to do with _Him_). Was he lying?

"Well who are you?" she asked.

"To me, I am someone else. But to most, I am The Observer." _What a strange thing to call yourself_, though Alice, glancing around. She wondered if others would suddenly appear, that those he referred to as "most" would suddenly walk slowly from out of the forest, creating a dramatic entourage. But no one came, and Alice and this new stranger appeared to be alone. She thought the name was strange, but quickly reminded herself that stranger things may be lurking within the trees. This boy at least was human.

"You are Alice," said The Observer. It wasn't a question – he _knew_ who she was.

"Yes…." Alice said slowly. "Yes, I am…. How do you know my name?" He glanced around, as if to make sure no one was hiding around and listening in.

"You've been found," he said, ignoring her question. "By _Him_." Frowning, Alice thought for a moment. It took her a few seconds for her to realize that the Observer was talking about the Slender Man. But the boy didn't wait for her to reply, or agree that, yes, she had in fact been … found.

"I work with a group called The Organization," he said. "We research missing persons and see if we can find them. A few years ago, we started to track the Tall Man-"

"You mean the Slender Man?" interrupted Alice. The Observer stared at her, hard and right in the eyes.

"We refer to him as the Tall Man, for safety precautions. We don't like to take chances; our security efforts have not yet failed us and if they ever did … well, we prefer not to think about that.

"As I was saying, we are able to gather evidence on the Tall Man and link him to certain mysterious disappearances. We interview victims that have been able to get away, and we meet with people who have reported missing persons and believe there to be something strange associated with that disappearance. However, we usually contact them through detainees that have gone nuts. They start blabbing about the Tall Mans plans, though we are not sure why He tells them. That is where we believe Proxies come in. The Tall Man works with certain interests – certain people He believes to be … special."

"Proxies are humans that help him right?" asked Alice.

"We believe that there are other supernatural beings helping him." Alice's eyes grew wide.

"You mean he's not the only one of his kind?"

"No, he is the only being like that. But I'm not here to get into specifics with a girl," he snapped. Alice felt taken aback at this. Did he think she was not capable of understanding? She had done her own research!

"Can you at least tell me why you're called The Observer?" He chuckled and sat down on a dry patch of ground beneath a tree.

"It's my job to keep an eye on those who are found by the Tall Man. I … _observe_." _That's fair_, thought Alice.

"It's also my job," he carried on, motioning for Alice to sit across from him. She did so, and the ground was hard and cold beneath her, adding to her discomfort under her mother's coat. "Now, I also work with others in a similar field as myself. As I said before, we are able to track the Slender Man through the use of Spies. These are detainees who are still 'here' mentally, and have been made into a Proxy by the Tall Man. It's very dangerous; they relay information to us, and help lead us to those who the Tall Man is stalking."

"So someone lead you to me….?" Alice asked. He nodded. "Who was it?"

"I can't say; he asked me to keep his name private as he is the Tall Man's most prized Proxy. I got the feeling that he was only telling us because he was asked and working to get information out of _us_ instead of the other way around. We have to go to all measures, even desperate attempts, to keep out information under lock and key. But on the off chance that this Proxy doesn't have any motives behind his actions, I can't risk his movements being discovered to by the Tall Man."

"But doesn't the Slender – sorry, the _Tall Man_ have ways of finding this out?"

"Of course," said the Observer. "But as of yet, nothing's happened. Either he finds it too much of a pathetic attempt to stop us, or he's just waiting." A silence fell between the two of them until Alice spoke up.

"So what did you have to warn me about, exactly?"

"I know you're being stalked, and most likely, he's made both physical and mental contact with you, yes?" Alice nodded, and this seemed normal to him, because the Observer carried on quickly. "Do you know what the Tall Man does when he doesn't make his victims a Proxy?"

"Yes. He kills them," replied Alice, feeling a chill run up her spine.

"Other than that, I mean. The tactics he uses to lure you in?"

"He gains your trust," stated Alice.

"Well, yes," replied the Observer. "He appears friendly, or treats your kindly. He makes you think that he wants to be good to you."

"He hasn't been particularly kind to me," said Alice. She traced the Slender Man's symbol over her chest with her finger, drawing it out for him. The Observer widened his eyes.

"He marked you?" he asked, almost shocked. Alice nodded, watching his concern grow, but there was something else hidden in his eyes, something that Alice couldn't quite read. Intrigue or anger, she thought it was, and this confused her. But she pushed it to the back of her mind.

"This is far worse," he carried on, "than I had thought."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he only marks those who are of special interest to him, that much we have figured out. Almost all of our Spies have His symbol on their body somewhere. And there's only one thing that he means when he marks someone: He thinks that you are able to work for him." Alice's stomach flipped. She knew the Slender Man interested her, but she could only hope that she interested him enough for this to be true. But at the same time, something in her head (her logic, perhaps?), told her that death would be a more welcoming fate than a life time of serving the Slender Man.

"How do you know whether or not that's why he marked you?" she asked nervously.

"You don't; you just wait, I suppose, to see what he does," he replied. There was a pause and few rabbits scuttled by and into their holes. The cold, and a new kind of fear, had long seeped into Alice's bones.

"That's where we come in," said the Operator, his strong tone softening slightly. "You have to try not to think about him, Alice. You know he can read your mind, communicate with you through your thoughts. We can help, but I can only come to you when I have new information. The Organization is a private one, and there's no way for you to contact us; we're not a police service. I know it's hard when you're paranoid, Alice, but please … for your own sake, listen to me. Only think about him when it's absolutely necessary. Even talking about him right now in the open is risky."

"Can he read my thoughts even if he's far away?" whispered Alice.

"If he wants to, then yeah, sure. He can do whatever he wants. He's a powerful being." The Observer looked her straight in the eyes, and Alice had to wonder if his stare was one of pity or if there was any real emotion there. She supposed that he may have once looked at others that way, tried to help them, and then they were never heard of again. Would she become one of them?

"So he could be-"

"-Listening to us now? Yes." Alice glanced around. She was well aware of the danger the Slender Man imposed on her, but she still held a curiosity for him. Why did he do what he did?

"You need to learn how to block him out," said the Observer. Alice threw glances here and there to the forest, wondering.

"Stop your thoughts from ever reaching him," she heard him say. "Think of something else."

Alice focused her attention on a small pile of pine cones a few feet away and waited for him to carry on. He didn't. Instead, he stood. Alice watched him, saw him gesture for her to get up, too.

"I have to leave now," he said, and he began to walk backwards. "I'll see you again, Alice, in time. It's all about time." He watched her carefully, eyeing her as she stood rigid in her spot, her small body drowning in fox fur.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I told you he wants you," he said, ignoring her question. "Until then" he added before turning and disappearing into the dark forest. The trees creaked in the wind, as if telling Alice she had to leave. She thought about calling out, asking him to come back, but she remembered what he had said about he had to come to her. She couldn't ask for help; not now. She had to wait.

Like the Observer had said, it was all about time.

SSSS-SSSS

**Author's Note:** And there you have it. Chapter eight is finished!

Again, I used some information from the Slender Man Wiki. The Organization is believed to be an actual organization, check it out: wiki/The_Organization

I added some of my own ideas into it, to make it less like the actual thing, and more to suit my story. I hope you guys enjoyed, thank you again for all your reviews, it's so lovely to know you're all enjoying my story! :)

Review? :p

ALSO. What is your take on the Slender Man? Do you think he's real? Or do your WISH he was real? Or does he scare you? :p

**P.S.** I've started chapter nine, and I'm off school the week after this one. So expect some super uploads! Meaning that you may get two chapters within two days…. Ooh!

Again, thanks! :)


	10. Taken

Chapter Nine

Taken

"_Take out the stories they put into your mind; _

_and brace for the glory as you stare into the sky, the sky beneath – _

_I know you can't be tired._

_Turning in circles, _

_been caught in a stasis,_

_the ancient arrival – cut to the end. _

_I'd like you to take me apart from the inside_

_Then spit through the cycle,_

_right to the end." _

~ Tempest, by Deftones

SSSS-SSSS

The tree branches hung high in the air, resembling a suspended ceiling. The midnight moon was like a large, round light hanging right in the middle. Alice was cold, shaking on the wet, leafy ground. She wore nothing but a long, thin black tunic, her bare toes being left to squish around in the soppy mound of leaves. A dense fog hung round her, chilling the air. Moments before, she had sworn it had been hot – maybe even summer. But now the air around her felt like ice, closing in on her like Darkness itself held her captive there. She squirmed about in her sloshy surroundings, and tried to speak. Nothing came from her throat, not even a squeak. She was free, however, not bound to anything. Still, she stayed on the ground, her body feeling like lead or dead weight. She appeared to be alone in the forest, or at least she was alone in _this_ part of the forest. She tried calling out again, with success this time.

"Hello?" she croaked.

From behind the walls of the trees, something rustled. Alice tensed, though excitement pulsed through her being. She knew immediately who stood behind the trees.

"Alisss," the person, no _monster_, hissed. A strange cackle emitted from Alice's lips, startling her, as _He_ stepped forward, his paper-white skin glowing, dazzling Alice. The Operator stood straight and tall, his suit crisp and frozen-looking. His featureless visage stared at Alice, the head cocked to one side.

In the refines of her mind, Alice knew him to be a monster – and just that. But now, at the forefront of her thoughts, she fancied him beautiful.

Was she beautiful, too? No one had ever said if she was or not.

The air was frigid as it clung to their bodies, freezing Alice's wet clothes. Despite her chills, she grinned up at Him. The shadows cast on his face gave way to the almost invisible line for a mouth, curved into an approving smirk. Slowly, he moved closer to her, almost gliding. He bent to one knee, hovering above Alice's quivering frame.

"Do you fear?" His voice flowed over her and her nervous excitement grew. She shuddered.

"No," she breathed, closing her eyes. He did not reply, instead he merely touched her gently with his hands. They were warm, and felt as though they burned her skin, melting away the cold. She lay as still as she could, feeling the black silk that whipped around behind him wrap around one wrist. It happened slowly, snaking its way around and around. The others soon coiled on the other wrist, and constricted her ankles, and Alice was rendered helpless as the Operator moved his hands about. She should have been afraid – she should have tried to run. But, he had shown interest in her – he _cared_ about her. Oh, she _knew _he _had_ to care for her.

For he said the one word Alice had never heard directed at her. It was spoken in her ear, low and quiet.

"Beautiful."

Alice relished in that one word. Yes! Yes, now she felt beautiful. She felt calm – calm as this entity gripped her shoulders. To the world, he was Evil. To the world, he was a fate far worse than the flaming depths of Hell. To her, he was curiosity – he was wonder, and he was beauty.

She felt the fabric leave her shoulders, exposing her pale skin the night. He inched it down, and Alice felt subtle self-consciousness as his long, surprisingly gentle fingers danced across her skin.

Alice wondered if he did this to all of the other victims – his other interest, the other girls he had taken. For a moment, she wondered if this was how he killed them. But she tried to push that thought to the side. His gentle hands were making her feel in a way she had never felt before and despite how calm she seemed, Alice felt strange at the same time. Fear crept its way into her bones and He seemed to sense it.

"Trust me," he purred to her.

Alice opened her eyes and was startled. Her monster now looked taller, and the scene around her had suddenly changed. The forest had turned into the bedroom at her grandmother's house. How had they gotten there? They had been in the forest just seconds before. The Operator was grinning at her, the think, scar-like mouth positioned right above Alice's. It crushed her lips with a force too strong. It was as if she had become a porcelain doll, and he was breaking her. The tentacles that had once held her wrists now rested on shattered remnants of her arms. Her arms! A strangled yelp was muffled on its way out of Alice's mouth. As _He kissed her_, her screams turned to moans, coated with pain as he started to finish her, piece by piece. He tore her limb by limb, pulling out of their kiss, laughing as Alice's body and head rushed her soul out from within. The world around her faded, and the softness of the sheets was replaced by icy forgiveness.

"Goodbye, my dear Alice," the Operator purred. She could feel it – the last moments of life leaving her body, the warmth rising out of her like steam, fogging her view of everything, everything but His wicked grin as she-

"NO!"

Alice's eyes snapped open, but she was met with darkness. She gasped for air and starting panting, trying to feel her way out of delirium. Her hair stuck to her clammy forehead, her pajama tank top feeling damp with cold sweat. _I'm dead_, thought Alice. _I'm dead!_

"Mom?" she croaked, sitting up. The corners of her eyes felt crusty with what she thought were dried tears. She called her mother again, and there was no answer. _Am I dead_?

Alice threw her arms out for some reassurance and met the springy mattress of her bed. Her hand flew to her neck and felt for her own pulse. Beneath her finger, it thudded away, fast and steady: one, two, three…. As her anxiety calmed, Alice's reality slowly returned to her. _It was just a dream_, she though. But it had seemed so real! She glanced to her clock, the red numbers glaring at her. It was half past four – her mother was most likely sleeping, if she was even home yet. Alice's father remained at his night shift at the hospital.

Alice's kicked the too-hot covers back and off of her body. She welcomed the cooler air from the room like an embrace, wishing it to stay a while and cool her body. After some time, Alice managed to get over the shock from her nightmare – the shock that _He_ had killed her it, finished her off with such ease.

She thought some tea was in order to calm down.

Pulling a black button-up sweater from her closet, Alice shrugged it on and ripped a brush through her tangled hair in the dark. Careful not to make a sound, she turned door knob all the way and tugged. It opened with not so much as a _click_ and Alice made her way down the stairs. She tried her best not to step on the creaky one that had a loose floorboard. _Step down – one, two, three, four, step down again – skip_, thought Alice, missing the sixth step.

_Creaaak_.

The stair groaned under her weight. _Crap_, thought Alice, wincing. She should have known it was the seventh stair! As she took her foot off, the step emitted a high-pitched squeak. The noise echoed through the quiet house. Then, everything was silent and Alice took it as her queue to carry on. She reached the bottom landing with no problem. _Yes_, thought Alice, feeling quiet victorious.

The kitchen light snapped on.

"Alice?"

The wavy blonde looked up to see an older, much tipsier version of herself. She felt like a deer in the headlights. She could _feel_ the guilty you-caught-me and I-know-I'm-supposed-to-be-sleeping look on her face. From the red cocktail dress her mother wore, Alice suspected that she had been in fact drinking instead of shopping with her friends.

"What are you –ya' doin' up?" her mother slurred.

"I just needed a glass of water," lied Alice. Now, Alice didn't feel the nerves that she did around her father - especially when her mother, Shara, was not sober. The weird anger her parents had toward Alice didn't show through when her mother was drunk. This surprised Alice, since in the stories she had read or heard, angry parents usually got worse with alcohol.

"You're – you gotta – you gotta sleep, Alice!" Her mother hiccupped between words as she stumbled toward the living room.

"How did you get home?" Alice asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Her mother didn't answer; she merely stared at Alice, her eyes holding a strange look. Alice didn't mind her mother – the woman usually kept to herself. She never yelled at Alice, only bossed her around and made her do chores for hours on end. It was Alice's father and his yelling and threats that Alice disliked.

"You're my baby, Alice!" her mother announced drunkenly. "I – I should be takin' care of you, not – not you takin' care of me!" She tried a smile, which came out lopsided. Alice knew her mother could be kind, but that sort of treatment from her parents was foreign to Alice.

"Mom, go to bed," Alice muttered, retreating to the kitchen and grabbing the glass of water she had lied about. She heard her mumble something, incoherent like most nights, and then clamber up the stairs. Sighing, Alice took a drink of her water. She sloshed the tasteless liquid around in her mouth and then swallowed, the coldness slipping down her throat. Upstairs, she heard her parents' bed creak and knew her mother had made it there okay.

Alice's eyes felt heavy with exhaustion, but she made them glare outside of the kitchen window. Everything she despised sat around her; pictures of her parents and cousins and family friends (but of course, she was never found in any), pointless decorations and wilting flowers that had never been even attempted to salvage; medical papers; clocks ticking Alice's very existence away…. In the quiet of her house (apart from her mother's snores), the dream resurfaced on Alice's muddled brain. The images flashed behind her eyes: her broken, crushed arm, shattered into shards of flesh-coloured glass; the writhing tentacles that had done it to her. She could almost _feel_ the wind they created as they flew around, wrapping her wrists in their iron grip.

_"Thinking about me again, Alice_?"

The silken voice etched itself into her ears. Alice knew that voice! But as she whipped her head around, eyes wildly searching for _Him, _she saw nothing.

"_You won't see me_," he whispered, sending shivers crawling along her body like little bugs scuttling across her skin. She stayed silent, she stayed still. The skin on her knuckles turned white as she gripped the kitchen sink.

"_But I see you_," said the Slender Man. He had broken into her thoughts, and though Alice told herself she didn't _fear_ him, she couldn't help but feel unnerved at how easy it was for him to pervade her mind. Had he witnessed her dreams as well? Or had he, in fact, caused her nightmare, giving her a preview of what he had in store for her?

"_Wrong_," he said to her. Alice half expected him to appear beside her, towering over her with his menace.

_"But I find it interesting, my sweet, that you think of me so often_."

_Where did you go_? Alice's question surfaced in her mind, and it was the only thing she could think of to ask him.

_"I've been here the whole time, Alice_," he said, his voice oddly patient. She looked outside, her eyes searching for him as though he was something she needed – like a drug to calm her jittery nerves.

"You stopped visiting me," said Alice in a monotone. She felt like a mental patient that needed attention – that needed her nightly visits with someone who made her condition worse. Why she craved his midnight interferences made no sense to her. Again, that feeling of being valued (for whatever purpose, good or bad) crept into her core again and burned there as a desire to be wanted.

"_Physically, yes_."

"Why….?"

_"Time, my dear_."

"Everyone keeps saying that," muttered Alice, confused, not noticing she had said it aloud, thought it would not have gone amiss by the Slender an even if she had tried to keep it in her thoughts.

"_Everyone, Alice_?" he questioned. Alice wanted to slap herself. She remembered The Observer, and tried to keep thoughts of him at bay. She did as he had told her to, and secluded them to the back crevices of her mind, hoping the Slender Man would not try to dig that deep.

"No one," she lied. Alice kept her eyes glued to the window and the darkness that lay beyond it. She strained her eyes to the point of watering, trying to see if he was out there with no prevail. He was not out there – she could see no sign of the tall, thin figure.

"_Do not lie to me_," he said, his voice soft yet dangerous.

"I'm not lying," countered Alice. He tutted, though this time the sound was not in her mind. Alice froze, realizing the sound came from behind her. Like ice, his smooth voice slipped over her, though the warmth resonating from his body immediately melted it. She felt his hands slide up her shoulders. His touch raised the hairs on her neck. It wasn't as if he had not laid a hand on her before; but the dream was still fresh in her mind, her senses on high alert. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his clad black arm move, swiftly spinning her around. She faced him, and expected to see him staring at her with black, endless eyes with an equally unnerving grin to match. But his face – or rather, lack of – remained a stark white canvas.

"Tell me who The Observer is," demanded the Slender Man. Alice did her best not to let her gaze falter from his head. Her eyes betrayed her, however, and shot to the kitchen floor and back.

"A- a friend, she stuttered. She could feel the writhing tentacles wind around her waist.

"Just a friend?" he whispered. Alice nodded, thinking for a moment he might believe her.

"Yes," she lied again. She knew she had to protect The Observer; though he worked for an organization working against the Slender Man (and she knew she certainly wasn't against _Him_), she knew The Observer would be in danger if the Slender Man found out who he was. He had been good enough to risk himself to warn Alice, so she knew she had to take a risk as well, as an act of gratitude and thanks towards The Observer. With every lie however, she endangered herself more. He would constrict her small frame, gripping her tighter; raise her into the air just a little higher or inch himself closer so she had no escape. He was powerful, and she was at his mercy. Part of her feared, while the other reveled in his presence.

"You are a terrible liar, Alice," he said, directing a silken appendage to tilt her chin up towards him.

"I'm not lying," she growled out. At her tone, he constricted her waist, pushing the air from her lungs in a startled gasp.

"And yet, you continue to do so, despite your own words." The Slender Man squeezed her tighter. "I could take you away right now," he threatened. "Oh yes, steal you from this place. I've done it so many times before." Alice shivered, shaking her head. _Not now_, she thought. She was not yet ready to face her fate.

"Please," begged Alice. "Not now." She saw the faint outline of his mouth spread into a wicked smirk.

"Why not? Is now not as perfect a time as any?"

"I-I'm not ready," Alice stuttered. She knew it was in vain; if he was going to take her, she had no way of making him change his mind.

"My sweet Alice," he whispered. "Do you really believe what you have heard – what you have read? So many misconceptions – it is true, no one truly knows what happens. Does that mean it is such a terrible fate? Perhaps I will spare you – perhaps I will not harm you. You have a chance Alice; I know inside you are _so willing_ to come with me." He spoke at her ear, his low voice sending trembles along her spine; Alice shivered from both fear and delight. He chuckled at her.

"I favour you," he purred. "And you are mine, my dear." Alice's mind was reeling; she could let him take her – she would let herself go missing like so many others and just like them, she would never return. And though she wanted to, she knew she could not fully trust this monster – this oh-so-mysteriously-inviting monster.

"I know what you crave; I can make you feel worthy – feel cherished," he tempted. "And there are … others where you will go," he added. He buried his head in the crook on her neck, shocking Alice.

"Others like – like you?" she breathed.

She felt him chuckle against the sensitive skin where he now – kissed her? Yes, that is what she believed he was doing.

"No, silly girl."

"Then – then who?" Alice whispered, trying to stay coherent. She wondered if other girls had been in this same position before her. The nightmare returned to her once more; were his ministrations shadowed by the same motive as they had been in her dream? She certainly hoped not, though the warning from The Observer echoed in her mind: _we believe that there are other supernatural beings helping him._

"Others like you," he whispered against her skin. Alice squeezed her eyes shut and had to remind herself to breathe. _1, 2, 3,_ she thought, _breathe in, and breathe out_. This monster was against her, bending over her slight frame – he had her trapped and Alice was not sure how to escape.

Or, if she even wanted to escape, that is.

"_Come little child_," he murmured.

"I am not a child," whispered Alice, earning herself yet another amused chuckle from the Slender Man.

"Then prove me wrong," he replied. Alice felt unsure of what he meant. Vaguely, she wondered about making the decision to go with him herself – if that would prove to him that she was brave enough, rebel enough, or _worthy _enough. She wondered if it could really be all that bad; if he treated her like this on a daily basis, perhaps her gruesome murder would only be a disadvantage. Delusions clouded her brain; she knew her own ending already, regardless if she went with him or not.

"_Come little child_," he hummed. Alice stiffened. Softly, he hummed a song to her, his voice deep and melancholy. The words seemed to stir something within Alice: a wanting to be with him, to take his _generous_ offer.

"_I will lead thee away,"_ he sung, "_into a land of enchantment._"

It was as if her mind had left her body and her soul traversed the darkness. She felt light, almost graceful as she listened to his darkly beautiful voice. He was _hypnotizing_ her. Just as she relaxed into him, he slipped away again and Alice's reasoning went with him. He was seven feet of ethereal light, his graceful form bending ever so slightly in a bow as he extended his hand to Alice.

"_Come little child,_" he continued to sing, beckoning towards her with a long, elegant finger. Alice recoiled nervously at the sight of him, stunned with how surreal he seemed. Hesitating at first, Alice took a small step toward him. Standing in place again, she forgot that she had even moved and went to step towards him once more. _He's put you in a trance,_ her mind screamed as she stepped closer again, inching her way toward the eerie fate that the Slender Man held for her. She was vaguely aware of her thoughts from before, of the promise of her own mortality. But the incomprehensive beauty she saw before her tempted her out of her secluded logic and one landed her one step before him.

"_Weep not poor child, for life is this way; murdering beauty and passion_," he purred to her. _"Hush now dear child, it must be this way, to weary of life and deceptions_." His voice echoed around her, making the room spin, blurring anything and everything but him. His fingeres unfurled towards Alice, slowly, one by one. He exposed his paper-white aplm to her. Alice gave him a questioning look, and though she knew she was meant to take his hand, she asked his permission in her mind. Raised just above his, her hand shook. As he hummed his ominous tone, he nodded his head. He sensed her nervousness – her apprehension in accepting his offer; he stretched his arm just a little further.

_"Come, little child_." She _would_ trust him.

And she did. Alice fell deeper into his trance, forcing herself to eliminate her nerves.

Her own hand was smaller than his palm as she rested it there. His gentle fingers curled around her hand and held it there. His singing subsided, and his thin line for a mouth spread into a smirk.

"You are mine," he hissed, and Alice's world fell into darkness.

SSSS-SSSS

**Author's Note:** Hello there, dear readers! I'm terribly sorry for the – what was it, a month long wait? – to get this chapter up. As I have said in other chapters, I'm dealing with a lot of family stuff. I won't explain what it is, just know that I am trying my best to manage things, school, and still update this. I have abandoned this story!

Phew, with that out of the way, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I have started chapter ten, however I might rewrite the beginning because I don't like how it's turning out. I'm suffering from a bit of writer's block, so hopefully that goes away soon.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR LOVELY REVIEWS! I love reading them and they mean so much to me!

THOUGHT TO PONDER: What would you do if Slender Man showed up in your room? :p Would you run or would you let him whisk you away into a _land of enchantment_?

**Disclaimer: **The lyrics at the beginning belong to Deftones.

The song that the Slender Man sings is a poem written by my favorite poet, Edgar Allan Poe. It is called _Come Little Children_. I modified it slightly to fit my story.

Thanks again for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and please review! :)


	11. Collective

Author's Note: I worked all last weekend on this – nonstop, almost literally. I stayed up all night on Saturday to get the basics of it written :p – just so I didn't keep you guys waiting as long as I did on chapter nine XD I hope you like this one. You get to learn more about Alice's past and the POSSIBLE reason why the Slender Man is so interested in her.

Remember, you can follow me on Twitter for updates and silly Tweets: fo_shizzlish

If Fanfiction does not show it, there is a an underscore between "fo" and "shizzlish" XD

You'll also notice that I have changed my cover photo for this story. I liked this one better and thought it fit with ambiance. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading and enjoy :)

SSSS-SSSS

Chapter Ten

Collective

"_A constellation of tears on your lashes,_

_Burn everything you love then burn the ashes._

_In the end everything collides._

_My childhood spat back out the monster that you see."_

"My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark', Fall Out Boy

There was really only one holiday that Alice had good memories of. As a child, Halloween had been her favourite; all the ghouls and monsters that stalked the streets had thrilled her as she watched them traipse up and down her street. She had never been able to go trick-or-treating. Her parents had always been too "busy" with other things, like work, to take her out. That was until the year that Alice had wanted so desperately to get her own candy; there had been a fifth grade pumpkin carving activity one Halloween afternoon at school. Forced into a group with three other students, Alice began to envy their costumes. She wanted to know what it felt like to be a vampire; what fake fangs really felt like and if they really did make chewing food difficult like all the kids had said. _She_ had never felt itchy from face paint, oozing with sticky fake blood, trickling from the corners of her mouth, like she had just finished off her last victim.

"You could come with us," Johnny Reid had said to her, adding his best vampire hiss and a flourish of his cape, covering his mouth. He waggled his eyebrows at her.

"You could be a princess! I still have a Cinderella costume from last year!" Right away, Chantelle Anderson had piped up, her freckled face big and round in Alice's. Her friend Anne shrieked with giggles.

"You could borrow one of my pumpkin candy bags," she offered. Alice shrugged, though for the rest of the afternoon, her invitation to go trick-or-treating remained in her head. So, Alice had phoned her mother that night to tell her she was (however much she hated princesses) going to trick-or-treat with Johnny, Chantelle, and Anne, as a Cinderella. After two bags full of sweet chocolate, candy corn, and store-bought popcorn balls, Alice and her newly found friends set off for one more trip around the town. They traversed the edges of Jasper's forests, which held a sort of early winter gloom and an unwelcoming breeze swept through the branches of the trees. Alice felt great – she now had people to talk with at school and she had finally been able to take part in all the Halloween hauntings. She and her friends shouted at doors as loud as they could, careful not to miss a single one.

That is, under they reached the house on the corner.

If Alice had known better – if she had ever been allowed in on conversations with other kids at school – she might have stopped herself from stepping foot on that house's pathway.

"Come on!" she yelled to her friends. They had stopping walking, stopped laughing, their grins vanished from their faces.

"Alice-" started Johnny. Alice glanced back at the house she stood in front of. Its dilapidated features clearly yelled "stay away" but Alice's curiosity only made her want to go further.

"This house is huge!" she interrupted Johnny, grinning. "I bet there's tons of candy just for us!" Chantelle and Anne shook their heads.

"Alice, this is _His_ house," Anne said quietly, almost as if she was afraid someone else would hear them.

"Who's house?"

"You know…." Johnny looked around cautiously and Alice wondered why they were being so secretive. She shook her head at Johnny; a curl that Chantelle's mother had pinned up for Alice fell back onto her shoulder.

"No, I don't know…. Come guys, what is it?"

"She hasn't heard," Chantelle said. Leaning over to Anne and Johnny, Alice thought she heard her say more quietly, "No one talks to her, remember?" Alice frowned, annoyed at being left out.

"You can tell me," she mumbled. She was starting to feel silly in her poufy princess dress and girly makeup.

"There's a man who lives here," said Johnny. "He doesn't have children, so each Halloween, if you knock on his door, he'll kidnap you." Alice thought Johnny was being silly. She remembered all the scary movies she had watched the previous year and how sometimes people got stuck in a stranger's house or a stranger got into theirs. In her mind, she could picture the wild looks on the actors and actresses faces as they ran away from Mike Meyers or the eerie, stretched out face of Scream.

"That's not real, it's just made up stuff," she said.

"Yeah, it's real!" whispered Chantelle, slowly inching her way from the house. "He's scary. I've heard he has no face or arms!"

"He has arms, stupid," said Johnny, pushing his glasses up his nose. "How do you think he grabs kids? But he's really tall – like a giant!"

"Oh, please…." muttered Alice.

"See," said Chantelle, "I told you she was weird." She looked at Alice, and then back to Johnny and Anne. "We should go back to my house."

"Yeah," the other two said in unison. Alice looked at them, confused. Why were they leaving her?

"Well, wait up!" she called, but her friends didn't listen. _I'm so dumb. Who'd want to be my friend_? She watched who she thought had liked her walk away. They left her standing there alone, scared and unsure of where she really was.

A rustle in the bushes had made her jump, and she hurried off in the direction the other three had gone, hoping that if she followed them, she could remember how to get home from Chantelle's.

Of course, how would a ten year old girl in a princess dress notice the tall faceless man watching her from the very top window of that house? For six years, Alice had shut this memory out of her mind. It had been the reason why she sat in the back of the classroom, content to be with just her books and the iPod she had bought herself. Rogue had been the only person her age that was decent to her, and he lived too far away to hang out with every day. It was seeing this house that brought back that memory. _He_ had taken her here. He had grabbed her hand, laughed at how easy it was to manipulate her, and transported her to where she had felt the most worthless. Three other little kids had decided here that she really was weird and decided to leave her there, not caring if she made it home okay. They had not cared if the stories of the man who lived in the house were true – they just wanted to get themselves home.

And now she knew the story was true. As she stood in front of the large house, she wondered exactly why she had let him take her. The Slender Man stood directly behind her, immense to her slight, short stature.

"Welcome, Alice," he said silkily. "I trust you remember this house."

"Yes," Alice whispered, suddenly feeling angry. "Wouldn't you want something … I don't know, like a tree in a forest?" He only chuckled at her anger – he knew she had revisited the memory from her childhood.

"I detect anger, my child. Perhaps when you are more willing to listen, I will explain the power of this house to you. After all, it is mine." Alice did not answer. She wondered how long it had been since she had left her house – a few minutes, perhaps – and how she had been in such a good mood. But now she felt tired and drained. Her nightmare had left her feeling shaky enough without adding teleportation (which really blew her mind, but it really was possible for the Slender Man).

"I am tired," she muttered, trying to disguise how annoyed she truly felt.

"Do not be angry with me," he said. Alice heard him step forward, and a moment later long fingers wrapped around her wrist. "Come, Alice."

Alice had no choice. He gave her arm a gentle tug and led her into the house. The air around them was cold, the silence pounding in Alice's ears, beating on her eardrum in unison with the rhythmic thuds of her quickening heart. With every step, her anxiousness grew. She knew there were other humans here, but how normal they were, she didn't know. Proxies, yes, but humane … she didn't want to think about that.

"Please," she whispered suddenly, causing him to stop abruptly. "Take me home. I told you I wasn't ready. You hypnotized me!" She felt her heart rate triple as he turned around slowly, seeming shocked at her accusation. "Don't lie and say you didn't! I know what you can do – I've read it!" Was this it then? Was she truly starting to go insane? Was this all it had taken for the Slender Man to break her in – push her over the edge and weaken the inner realms of her mind? Alice's voice grew louder with each hysteric breath she drew into her lungs.

"I – I wasn't ready and you took me anyway! This is what you do then – you take humans here and – what? Do you kill us? Rip us apart and – and hang us on tree branches?" She heard a quiet hiss escape from the Slender Man, and watched as the appendages protruding from his back began to writhe and wriggle in an angry storm of black swirls.

"_Silence!_" He hissed her in mind, causing the world to spin around in front of Alice's eyes. "I have told you before, Alissss, have I not? I will not hurt you until you give me reason to. Thus, I suggest you follow me."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, trying to snap herself out of her rage to keep herself safe. He did not reply, merely began moving again, Alice following cautiously in his wake. She could run, but she knew he would find her again in a matter of minutes. _You wanted him to come back_, she reminded herself and tried to pass her anger off as nerves. She wondered how long it would take her parents to notice that she was missing, how long it took them to realize she was not cleaning the house. She figured the cops would only show up at her door so that her parents would get their laundry folded for them.

Alice was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of a door creaking. She looked up from the ground and saw a dim light shining through the otherwise blackened doorway.

"After you, my sweet," said the Slender Man, gesturing to the doorway. His anger seemed to have died; he was patient as Alice slowly crossed the threshold into the house of no return. It was the cold tiled floor that made her notice she was not wearing shoes – or proper clothes for that matter. She had let the Slender Man steal her away in her pajamas! _Good going_, she thought, feeling her face go red. _I wonder what my Proxy name will be. Pajama girl! How frightening_.

"You may look around," said the Slender Man, startling her. He was right behind her, almost touching her back.

"You –you don't mind?"

"Would I have just said you may if I minded, Alice?"

"No," said Alice quietly. She glanced around; the entry room they stood in was lit by red candles, illuminating the crimson walls. The house smelled of old roses mixed in with something Alice could not quite name. She thought perhaps it was the subtle spice of incense. He did not say anything more; he merely stayed silent and hung in the shadows, watching her as she slowly made way into the rest of the house. The outside was nothing compared to the interior. The stained bricks and ripped shingles on the roof did not do justice to the elaborate carvings in wood tables or statues that went along the spiraling staircase. Embossed tapestries hung on the walls, depicting a very familiar symbol. Alice subconsciously touched the pink scar on her chest as she carried on her way around the house, feeling as though she was intruding on someone's privacy.

She followed the curve of the stairs, using the railing as a guide through the dark. She wanted desperately to turn on a light, but something told her not to. Perhaps the fear of seeing the insides of victims stabbed into the walls, dripping whatever blood was left onto the floor. It was the same feeling as though something were about to jump out at her from behind the corner. Her heart thudded in her ears; she was in the Slender Man's house – the house of the Knight, of Der Ritter … of _The Operator. _The question nagged at the back of her mind: _where was he right now_? Surely he did not just lurk in the front door way all day.

No, he had to be somewhere close to her, deep in the darkness, waiting for her to run. He was testing her – seeing if she was strong enough to be one of his. Alice knew she had to prove herself. If she really wanted to stay alive, to remain an interest of this beautiful monster, then she had to hide the nerves that shook her legs. It seemed to be the only thing moving her forward as she searched for something – whatever that something was.

That was when it hit her. Quite literally too, she bumped into something that felt … real. Gasping, Alice struggled to regain her balance. The person's arms landed on her shoulders, steadying her.

"Careful," they said. It was a boy's voice, sounding not much older than Alice herself. He spoke low and softly. To Alice, it almost seemed like it was the darkness speaking.

"Sorry," she said quickly, her body stiff.

"I do not recognize your voice," said the boy. "Have we met before?"

"I – I don't think so," replied Alice. There was silence before the boy chuckled knowingly.

"Alice," he said surely. "You are Alice, aren't you?"

"How do you-"

"Master told me you would be … joining us. I trust you are lost, yes?"

"Well … I suppose I am." Alice thought this was all very strange; but what should she have expected from the inside of the Slender Man's house, flowers and lovely family portraits? The dark halls of this place only made Alice's hairs stand more on edge, but now that she was really there, she felt her anger fading. A new excitement had taken its place; what would she learn and find behind each door, in each little corner of this house? Would she learn to be like the others or how to escape tragedy?

"Then follow me," said the boy, taking her arm. With a small tug, Alice let him pull her through the hallways and past the flickering candles hung on the walls.

"He keeps it dark in the hallways if you haven't noticed," the boy said. "I think he prefers it that way. Of course, we're allowed to turn the lights on if we want. But everyone else is asleep right now, so what's the point?" Alice supposed there wasn't a point, that is, if she didn't count the fact that she was stumbling around behind this stranger.

"Turn right," the boy instructed, and added quickly, "after counting five steps. That's the trick to learning your way around here in the dark; count your steps in the daylight before turning corners and remember them. There's a wall there."

"Well that's helpful," muttered Alice, and she counted out five of her steps. She was relieved when she safely turned the corner. Here her eyes met another dimly lit hallway, the candle light casting long shadows on the floor. Ahead of her, the silhouette of the boy was much taller than she was. He led her along until they met a door, a buttery yellow light seeping out from the crack at the bottom.

"This is the drawing room," he said. "I like to hang out here, mostly because no one else comes." He opened the door, allowing Alice to step in front of him. Around her were many paintings, most depicting the same symbol she had seen so many times before. Different versions of it scattered the walls, some painted with dripping red paint that marred the walls or just simply a black outline on some sort of faded background. On the tables were many books laying open on their spines. Alice could see tiny scribbles in the corners in black ink, things she thought were words or small drawings.

"Now Alice," said the boy, giving Alice the impression that there would be no joking around at this moment in time. "I would like to explain to you exactly why you're here, but I'm not allowed to do such things. That is left up to Master himself."

"Is that what you call him?" Alice asked, more to herself than to this strange boy.

"Yes. He has a lot of names, but 'Master' seems more casual." The boy turned to face Alice now, and his appearance caused her to take a double look. Jet black hair stuck out around his head in inky disarray, contrasting against the stark white – mask? – he wore. Alice could not see his eyes; she guessed they hid behind the deep, seemingly never ending black eye holes. Above them, it looked like he had drawn on two perfectly arched lines for eyebrows. The mouth was a small round "O" shape. The mask made him look eerie, but it stood out of place from the baggy black hoodie and jeans he wore.

"Don't let this faze you," he said and Alice had to wonder if he was grinning from behind the mask. "I'm much prettier underneath, believe me. But I have to wear this. It's a disguise of sorts."

"You're a Proxy," stated Alice. The boy sounded surprised.

"You know what a Proxy is? You must have done some research. I take it you were followed for a while, Alice?"

"Only a few weeks, actually," replied Alice. "But he made me curious."

"Curious is a strange word. Most people are afraid of him," said the boy.

"I was afraid. I mean, he's … well, startling to say the least."

"Were you willing to come? He usually only takes those that seem willing or worthy, I suppose, of his time."

"I was," said Alice. "But I don't know what he really brought me here for. I was expecting him to take me later … so I don't feel ready enough just yet."

"I suspect he has something for you," said the boy. "If he doesn't make you a Proxy, then I'm not sure what his point in bringing you here was. He's intelligent, has an infinite source of knowledge and what have you. And I'm sure you know the alternative to being a Proxy." Alice nodded, feeling her stomach churn at the thought of the other inevitable outcome of her being here.

"Well then," the boy continued. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I go by the Proxy name, Masky. You don't need me to explain that one, do you?" Alice smirked and shook her head.

"I think I get it," she said. "Do you ever take it off?"

"Sure," said Masky. "I don't sleep with it. Speaking of which, you need some proper clothes if you're going to be taken seriously here. You look like he pulled you from your own bed. I'll have to take you to see Chelsea; I'm sure she has something you can borrow for the mean time."

"Who is Chelsea?" asked Alice.

"She was our newest until today. She's still in the process of being made a Proxy."

"There's a process….?" _Great_, thought Alice. _I hope it's not a competition of some sort_.

"Yeah. Just tasks you have to preform to show him you can really do this; you have to numb your conscience for it, shut it up for some of them. I won't go into detail about it now. But Chelsea's having no trouble with it. She was born deranged, I'm sure." Alice shifted her weight from foot to foot. Numb her conscience? She felt her nerves prickle along her skin again, giving her an uneasy feeling. What had she gotten herself into?

"I'll go get Chelsea," said Masky. He gestured to a couch facing opposite them. "Have a seat, Alice. Make yourself at home – it is yours now."

Watching him walk out of the room, Alice allowed herself another look at the room. She peered into the corners and watched the door carefully, expecting _Him_ to appear suddenly. After a moment with no sign of him, Alice sunk into the soft black couch. The house was nice, and Alice found this surprising for someone – _something _– that enjoyed stalking and killing his prey. But the house was far from inviting; in fact, it seemed to want to force any inhabitants that did not belong out of it. And Alice did not yet feel welcome as she awkwardly sat on the couch, hands resting on her knees, heart beating in her throat….

Five minutes passed before the handle on the door turned again. Catching Alice by surprise, she hurried to her feet, expecting a thin, tall line of black to slip between its crack. Instead, she was relieved to see Masky reappear.

"Alice," he announced as a girl stepped forward from behind him, "this is Chelsea."

"Hey," Alice said, trying to sound casual, but her voice raised an octave. _I hate new people_, she thought. _I'm so awkward around everyone._ Chelsea stood in the doorway, and she was one step before dangerous herself. Dressed in a tight-fitted black dress, her legs stretched much longer than Alice's. She was beginning to think being tall was a characteristic the Slender Man liked (which made her wonder why he was so interested in her; she was not tall at all). She wore thick black boots, making Alice suspect that they made up for four inches of her height.

"Hello," she said softly, pushing away a strand of straight hair back. It fell around her shoulders in a shiny sleek waterfall of murky blackness. It looked as though red blood stained the ends. She walked toward Alice with an air of confidence Alice could only dream of having. Hips swaying, head high, this it did not surprise Alice that this Chelsea was an interest of such a powerful being as the Slender Man. "So you're the Alice we've been hearing of?"

"I – I guess so," said Alice, feeling smaller and smaller as Chelsea stepped in front of Alice.

"Hm," hummed Chelsea. "I was expecting something different; you know, a blue dress and a ribbon in your hair." She laughed at her own joke; Alice was far from a silly princess in a fairy-tale wonderland.

"I don't like dresses," said Alice, attempting a laugh. It came out as a nervous, breathy grunt instead. _Maybe I should have stayed at home. At least people there knew I was weird_.

"Pity. They might make you look a little more feminine."

"Chels-" started Masky, but Chelsea held up a lacy-gloved finger to silence him.

"I don't know what you expect me to do with her," she said, looking Alice up and down, bright green orbs surveying Alice as though she was nothing more than a poorly painted picture.

"Well, you know, some other clothes would be a good start," Masky said sarcastically. "I don't suppose you could manage that? You know _Him_. He likes us … presentable." Chelsea scoffed.

"He likes _me_ presentable. The rest of you just go off and hide in the woods, why would you need nice clothes?" Alice frowned, not liking this girl already.

"Honestly, just a black t-shirt and jeans will do," she said quietly. "I'm not picky." Chelsea smirked, and then pursed her lips.

"Why? I think you look fine like this. I don't see any reason why I must get you some of my clothes."

"For cripe's sake, Chelsea, get her something else to wear. It won't kill you," Masky growled. "But I could if you're looking for that."

"Shut up," said Chelsea, turning around and marching her way out of the room, her heels clicking behind her. She turned to look over her shoulder at Alice, who still stood there, feeling too out of place to really do or say anything.

"You coming?" snapped Chelsea.

"Yes," Alice answered quickly. She padded across the room and out into the hallway, but before she got any further, she felt someone grab her by the shoulder. It was Masky. He lowered his voice to her.

"Don't let her get to you. Master really likes her – she does a lot for him, so she's kind of full of herself." With a nod of his head, he gave Alice a light push.

"Thanks," she said quietly, hurrying off to catch up with Chelsea. Apart from Chelsea's shoes, they walked in silence, side by side, down the dark hallway. Alice wondered if she could start a conversation.

"So how many of you guys are there?"

"A few," Chelsea replied, her tones clipped.

"Masky said you were the newest … how long have you been here?" Alice bit her lip, cursing herself for even trying. It was obvious this girl didn't want to have anything to do with her, so why did she try?

"A year."

"Wow," mumbled Alice, deciding to be quiet for the rest of the walk. She wondered how deep she would be able to go into this whole Proxy thing before she got herself killed; she supposed maybe a month at best. These other kids seemed to know what they were doing and she was just kind of … there. Never had she felt so intimidated in her life. Yet her excitement that the Slender Man had picked her never faded; there was still a faint glimmer of hope in Alice that she could maybe salvage herself enough time to prove herself. Not to mention that Masky seemed nice enough. Maybe he would give her a few pointers. Of course, Alice knew there were three main rules to this already: listen to the Slender Man; do what he wants; don't let Chelsea get to you.

SSSS-SSSS

Solitude was his sanctuary, and the girl was exactly that. Oh yes, she had her own opinions – she liked to hold them high above what others thought. She was a strong one, this Alice; even though it did not show on the outer shell she had created to hide herself from the world. It was her camouflage, but the Slender Man saw straight through it. He could access her thoughts so easily; it was like lifting up an unlocked window. He was granted access to the most private, secluded areas of his little Alice's thoughts. Her frail past had lit an angry fire, and she did not realize it burned in her core. She looked kind, like a simple rose with poison dripping from its thorns. Oh, the things he would have her do for him – the things she would do to those who incensed her. It made him want – _need_, a desperate need to fulfill his darkest desires – just thinking about her. This human he craved was so easy to have now – she was so close.

Bringing her here so soon had been his best idea in all the centuries he had spent taking those he wanted most. He _owned_ her now. His little Alice trapped in his _wonderland_. The Slender Man had to chuckle at himself. What a wonder she was.

Yes. He would have her. He would make her into the monster that lived inside of her: the tortured child whom craved attention.

_His _attention.

"Alisss." Just saying the name felt better than any soul he had taken before. As he remained in his quarters, she was the centre of his thoughts. Among the others, he would have only her.

The crimson armchair cushioned his body yet his avid mind would not settle. With each drum of each pale, long finger on the armrest, he knew the only way to rid himself of his newest conquest was the obvious. He had done it so many times before – stolen the life from those who created an unrest in his more refined thoughts. The only vague, brittle human aspect of his being – his unholy desires – had long turned to bloodlust. He had to ruin the girl – break her mind apart piece by piece, thought by thought. She would want the equivalent of what he needed most. He would make her want him – _need_ him – in a desperate attempt to salvage the sanity he would take from her.

SSSS-SSSS

"If you weren't so short, I'd give you a black skirt or something. But they'd all go down to your ankles," said Chelsea as she opened an ornate wardrobe. She and Alice were in Chelsea's bedroom – or her quarters as she called them. "Master prefers the terms that don't make things seem so … homey. I like it. He has that edge, you know?" She had said this in a manner that almost sounded as though she worshiped _Him_ and it made Alice wonder how far deep into this she was really willing to go before she turned into Chelsea junior.

Alice watched as Chelsea ripped through her wardrobe, tossing things at Alice to try on.

"That's alright," Alice said about the skirt. A small, nervous laugh came from her throat. "Jeans or something are just fine."

"Here," said Chelsea, ignoring Alice's sentiment and a pair of black dress pants at Alice. She had to lunge to catch them. Next Alice has to catch a single black tank top. As Chelsea left the room to let her change, Alice took a good long look at herself in the mirror. The pants fit nicely, hugging her small frame to make it look like her body curved even just a tiny bit, but the top made her wonder if it even counted as a shirt it showed so much skin.

"Looks fine," Chelsea said from the doorway. Alice glanced at her and grimaced.

"Do you maybe have an old sweater or something?" She felt herself regretting her question as soon as she said it. Chelsea stuck her nose up in the air.

"I don't like sweaters, I prefer plain tops. If that's not good enough for you, _Alice_, then you can always go naked. I'm sure the boys wouldn't mind a laugh." A smug smirk took its place over her plump, plum-painted lips.

"This is fine," Alice said quickly. She made for the door but Chelsea's arm shot out, her palm flattening against the wall.

"You can wear these shoes. By the way, I wouldn't try and suck up to _Him_. He doesn't do well with … whimpy little girls," she said, her voice drenched with hatred. Alice frowned; what didn't this girl like about her? Chelsea handed her a pair of plain black, thin-heeled boots. _How the hell will I walk in these without breaking my ankles_?

Then, flipping her hair, Chelsea smiled at Alice like nothing catty had happened between them. "Good luck!" Turning on her heal, Chelsea marched back down the hallway, disappearing into the darkened crevices of the mansion. Through a window, Alice could see the early morning sun peeking out of the clouds. She stood there for a moment and watched as a bird quickly flew by, making no effort to stop for a tree top for a rest. A cloud quickly covered the peak of the sun, as if it too could sense the danger of the house, not wanting to cast its rays and put the house in view for anyone else. Sighing, Alice slowly stepped forward and straightened her back, concentrating hard on not tripping in her ridiculous new shoes. She was in the Slender Man's mansion now, and there was no way out. She had to do this – whatever it was she would be doing. She only hoped she could do it well enough to stay alive.

_Good luck_, Alice thought to herself. _I'll need it_.

SSSS-SSSS

**Author's Note:** Oooh, what do you guys think? I know, pretty bad way to end a chapter, but I didn't want to make it too long. I split it up and I am already started on chapter eleven for you guys.

If you have any suggestions on how I can make this story better or what you would like to read about or scenes with Alice and Slender or ANYTHING then please drop me a message, I love to reply to you guys. Also, thank you SO much for your reviews and patience. It means the world to me.

ALSO: I have a question for you **artists** out there. Would you be interested in drawing Alice with the Slender Man? If so, you should send me your results by messaging me. I'll give my email or something XD I'm an artist myself and I'd love to see what you guys come up with!

THOUGHT TO PONDER: Why exactly do you like the Slender Man – what is your favorite creepy thing about him?

Again, please follow me on Twitter: fo (underscore) shizzlish.

Until next time…..


	12. Just a general update (SORRY!)

Author's Note:

**IMPORTANT**

Hello there! Yes, I am still alive! I have not yet dropped off the face of the earth, nor has Slender Man captured me (yet….)!

I first and foremost want to apologize for my two month absence. I've been terribly busy with grade eleven ending and finals and what not! I have chapter eleven written but I need to edit it terribly bad. I have not been happy with the quality of it and I am working on getting it to make a little more sense. I think I need to sort out my ideas and plot structure a little bit! Never fear … I will update it in a few days!

**HOWEVER**, a few days might turn into a week or two for the serious reason of: my country is undergoing a natural disaster! I live in Canada, and if any of you happen to watch the news or live in Canada as well, then you're probably well aware that the province of Alberta is **FLOODING**! They expect it to come to my city, and while I'm not in the directly affected areas, my whole city may lose power if the electrical generators and what not go under water. We are supposed to flood in the next seventy three hours, so if I do not update, I have lost power! However, I have my laptop charging so I SHOULD be fine. But just heed my warning and PLEASE bear with me.

ALSO, I have family from England coming over! We are taking them up to (GUESS) JASPER! (This is particularly exciting me for!) I am super excited to visit the place where my own story takes place, and yes, I have been there before but that was about five or six years ago now. Perhaps I'll see Slender myself? Haha! But I expect I'll get some serious inspiration for my story while I'm there so I expect to update my story more frequently throughout the summer. Please stay tuned! I will NOT abandon you!

Finally, I want to thank you all for your continued support and patience with me. I lost my mom in November and I am only sixteen, so I'm finding it difficult to keep my mind on track all the time. However, she knew I wanted to be a writer, so I am going to keep updating this story because she would have pushed me to do it! Also, I have you lovely people to keep entertained and I certainly love writing for you guys and reading all your reviews! I hope to get a routine going for myself, such as updating on Sundays again. I might change that to Mondays (every Monday or every second Monday). Again, thank you, and fair wins for now! Watch out for Slender Man.

**THOUGHT TO PONDER:** Why do YOU think Slender Man wears a suite? To blend in with today's society? To trick people into thinking he is a well socialized and cultured "person"? Or why else?

-SSSS-


End file.
